Awakening
by Paintedwings77
Summary: It's the year 2014 and Merlin as waited for Arthur's return for over 1000 years. But his wait is over, Arthur is back. Which can only mean one thing, the world is in danger and a hero is needed. A lot has happened since Arthur's death and Merlin has many new secrets. *** A tale told in the eyes of a girl who is important to Merlin and Arthur. *** Romance/Fantasy No slash.
1. Chapter 1 - The Tremor

**Awakening  
****Chapter 1**

**The Tremor**

THE WORLD CHANGED

Callie remembered exactly what she was doing when she heard the ground breaking news.

She had always heard the phrase from older people. They all remembered where they ordered a cup of coffee when JFK died. They remembered they had been late for work when the Challenger blew up on takeoff, and that it was a Tuesday when terrorists crashed a plane into the twin towers … Callie had heard about life changing events, but like many people, she never believed it would happen to her.

**oOo**

Callie had sat in history class when the story broke.

A text message made her phone vibrate in her pocket. Giving the professor a quick glance to make sure her back was turned, she snuck the phone out.

_Callie, we need to talk._

Callie recognized the number without a second thought even though she had deleted the name from her contact list. Hunter. She could feel his crystal blue eyes boring into the back of her head.

She refused to look.

Callie drew her sweater a bit tighter around herself. The line of windows across the top of the basement classroom did nothing to retain warmth. The ivy-league school with its outrageous tuitions fees was a heavy price to pay for an education, especially when some of the classrooms were in such poor conditions. From its dull grey floors, whitewash walls and standard issue desk and chair combination, it made you wonder what you were paying for.

Calypso Sky Walsh was a history major, more specifically she was specializing in the middle ages. She went by the nickname of Callie and cringed whenever anyone used her full name.

Doodling on her notepad, she tried to concentrate as the professor droned on about Queen Elizabeth. Callie tried to feign interest but it was hard when she knew more about the subject than the professor did. She had always had a fascination with history and it had earned her several scholarships.

-"With one decision, she changed the course of history. Her ships defeated the Spanish armada—Miss Walsh, what year did the Spanish armada try to invade England?"

Callie blinked at her, surprised to have been called out. She quickly switched off the phone without replying and snuck it back into her pocket, but she was sure Ms. Hammond had seen her. The professor had a very strict, no phones rule in her classroom.

-"August 8th, 1588. The fleet was stopped in the English Channel near a place called Gravelines." Callie quickly said.

Ms. Hammond slowly nodded.

-"Near northern France—"

-"Actually, it was part of the Netherlands—" Callie corrected before she could stop herself. She cringed, knowing the major faux-pas she had just made.

Callie had learned that most University professors did not like to be corrected and she had found herself on more than her fair share of losing debates. Bracing herself for a full-blown debate, Callie waited for the onslaught but suddenly the door to the adjoining classroom flung open. Everyone snapped to attention.

-"You've got to see this." Mr. Clarkson panted. He was a bald, munchkin-sized advance Physics professor. He burst into the classroom with a wild look behind his round glasses. "They're showing it on every channel." He grabbed Ms. Hammond by the hand. "You have to see this. You'll never believe it."

-"Jeremy, I am in the middle of a class. What's wrong?"

Everyone on campus knew Clarkson had a crush on the petite blonde, and after an unfortunate pipe leak had made the last classroom unavailable for the history department, he had convinced the dean that the empty biology room down the hall from his classroom would be the best spot for the history class.

-"This is a once in a lifetime story. You're a history teacher. History is happening now." He hurried her to the door. "If you don't see it, you'll never forgive yourself.

Ms. Hammond's eyes fixed on Callie for a moment, silently telling her that this wasn't over.

-"I will return in a moment, read chapter twenty-two and twenty-three." She ordered over her shoulder as she left.

A sudden gust of wind slammed the classroom door shut after her and made all the students jump. But instead of it instilling any sort of fear in the students, it just created a little chatter among them. From Across the room, Arthur Knight stretched and drew attention to the broad shoulders under his football letterman jacket. He sauntered over and sat on Callie's flimsy student desk, making it sink. Model-like Sandy blond hair emphasized a chiseled jaw.

-"Hey, Cal ... Can you ever just stay on one teacher's good side for more than ten minutes?" Arthur grinned.

She resisted a groan.

-"I was just pointing her mistake ..."

-"I never met anyone who could so smart yet piss off everyone she knew."

Callie was about to reply and tell him to get lost, but never got the chance. A sudden muted vibration started and all the windows in the classroom violently shook. One of the boys stood up to investigate, slowly and cautiously approaching the window.

The boy in question was Hunter. Hunter Emrys.

He'd had started the semester late, a mere two months ago. Not long enough for most people to get notice at a large University, but long enough for Hunter to get every girl on campus talking about him—Including Callie.

Hunter was quite a sight to behold. He was six-foot, and he was built lean with muscles. He had a pretty face with his midnight hair and piercing blue eyes. And if that didn't make him stick out enough he rode a fast and slick Yamaha YZF which was a satin black and dark red that screamed danger. Hunter was a little eerie, a little dangerous, a big mystery and extremely irresistible. Who wouldn't be pulled in with his mysterious airs?

Callie sighed, as she watched Hunter creep to the window like a spooked cat. His eyes were his best feature, Callie thought. Hunter appeared to be in his twenties, but his eyes … They were older ... much older. As if they'd seen lifetimes of loss and pain. Callie had been enthralled with him as soon as she had laid eyes on him.

Callie herself was new to the University. She had been supposed to attend last semester but her mother had passed away and she had taken some time off. From the warm state of Arizona she had moved to her new life in New Hampshire. Her life was bleak and sad until the day Hunter Emrys had stood in front of her with a wide smile and a sparkle in his eye.

Hunter flung the window open and a loud screeching sound filled the room. He slammed it shut and turned to face the classroom which was all staring at him. In an odd mix of a British accent and a long forgotten accent, he calmly said.

-"It appears the city sirens are going off."

One of Arthur's jock friends shouted.

-"Let's get out of here."

The loud scratching of desks being moved as some students stood to leave the room filled the air. Beside Callie, a mousy, quiet girl who was destined to be valedictorian wheezed and pushed aside some of her thick brown hair from her eyes.

-"Ms. Hammond instructed us to stay here."

-"I'm not staying here just because a girl told me too." Arthur scowled at her and his friends all nodded and kept headed for the door. The small girl blushed at his derogatory remark.

Unable to resist, Callie rose.

-"Shut up Arthur, the professor told us to stay for our own safety."

Arthur gave me an irritated look.

-"And what do you suggest we do? Stay here when shit is going on there?"

-"Arthur's right. We should go." Hunter's deep voiced over Callie from the back of the room.

Arthur looked at Hunter in surprise. It was obvious from Arthur's face he wanted to take back his words just to spite Hunter. Since the first day that Hunter had arrived, he and Hunter had not gotten along. Arthur could be overbearing. He was the popular one on campus. Everyone knew Arthur. The jock that was good at any sport he tried. But unlike the typical jock stereotype, Arthur was smart. He always kept a four point O average. He was also captain of the football thanks to his sharp mind and amazing strategies. Arthur was idolized around campus thanks to his brains and striking good looks.

But when Hunter had transferred all that had changed. He had competition and he did not like to feel threatened. Although to Arthur's defense most of the antagonism between the two men was mostly caused by Hunter. He needled Arthur and only him, on purpose. Callie could not understand why.

The other student's heads swiveled back and forth between Callie, Arthur and Hunter.

-"Emergency procedures state that we should go to the nearest safe room."

Callie straightened to her full five foot five frame.

-"Well the closes safe room is Mr. Clarkson room, so we should go there."

Like cows released from the gate, the class scrambled to close up their books and grab their backpacks, then they all rush out the door. Everyone headed down the hall into the physic room. The room was reinforced and all specially built because of the chemical that were used. As it turned out our class wasn't the only one Clarkson had alerted.

Students from the chemistry class next door were all huddled under tables. The small lab room was getting rather cramped with over fifty students all in one room. Callie was the first one to enter the room, Ms. Hammond smiled at her.

-"Good work, Callie. I knew you would get the class here."

-"Right, as if you would have remembered to come get us." Arthur muttered from behind Callie.

High tables and bench seats made up the physics room. Mr. Clarkson pointed under them.

-"Get down. They say it will be here any minute."

-"What's going on?" Arthur asked, looking around puzzled.

All of a sudden a rumble shook the building. Callie lost her footing and stumbled but before she could hit anything a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and stopped her from falling. A smooth voice spoke into her ear.

-"Don't panic. I have you." Callie took a breath. Hunter.

She should have pushed him away but she couldn't. A sense of calm enveloped her. The building trembled and violently shook, but it seemed far away. The lights flickered off and on.

Hunter pulled Callie to the side of the room behind the tall bookshelf filled with science knickknacks. The building gave a slight shudder while some of the students cried and whimpered. A few glass beakers tumbled off the lab tables and broke. The knickknacks shelf wobbled. Instinctively, Callie's body moved, trying to get away from the shelf, but Hunter's arms tightened around her.

-"Stay still."

Her heart raced. She wanted nothing more than to stay with him. But she should hate him. She made another attempted to pull away but he held her in place.

-"Are you crazy?" She cried over the loud wails of some of the students and the breaking object. Callie pointed at the tables where everyone else was huddled. "We need to get under—"

But it was too late. The building gave a violent shake. A model of the galaxy crashed to the ground. Someone let out a gasp somewhere while others made a prayed. Most of the knickknacks flew off the shelf. Callie braced herself for the impact but none of the knickknacks touched them.

A microscope, a floating ball as heavy as twenty-pound weights, and numerous other models tumbled down… and over them. Callie watched as the objects fell all around her and Hunter. It was as if an invisible bubble was keeping them safe. Callie glanced at Hunter, flabbergasted.

Half a minute after shaking had started, it stopped. No one moved for what seemed like another ten minutes. Although, with Hunter holding Callie, she wasn't sure if she wanted to move … ever. There was loud shuffling as the kids under the tables started to emerge. Hunter let go of Callie but she wasn't quite ready for the separation. She grabbed his arm and pointed to the fallen knickknacks that formed a neat circle around their feet.

-"Why didn't they hit us?" Hunter's dark eyes were fixed on Callie, but he just let go with a shrug shrugged.

-"Guess we were lucky."

-"Callie?" Arthur said from the other side of the shelf, his voice heavy with anxiety.

Arthur Knight was Callie's half-brother, although they had just met a few months ago, Arthur took his role as a brother very seriously and even though he enjoyed teasing her at times he had become instantly the protective brother Callie had always wished she had. The Knights had taken Callie in after her mother died and she had nowhere to go. It had always been just her and her mother against the world and even though Callie did not have everything she had always wanted, her mother had been her world. Callie's father had never been a part of her life, but after the funeral he had introduced himself in an awkward reunion.

Callie could have told him to bugger off but she had just lost the only person that meant everything to her. She had needed someone to lean on. Her father was the natural person to do that with. So here she was, with a new family.

-"Callie?" Arthur said again, this time fear laced his voice.

Callie didn't want to let Hunter off the hook but she could let Arthur worry. She stepped back around the shelf and went into the open part of the room.

-"I'm here."

A few students stared when Hunter walked out behind Callie. One snickered.

-"Hope the earthquake didn't distract you two."

Arthur looked at Hunter with an unhappy expression. Callie approached Arthur, leaving Hunter behind.

-"Was that it?" Someone murmured.

-"Please say it's over." Someone else moaned.

-"Shane's car shakes worse than that." One of Arthur's buddies joked and made the sound of an old clunking car. His friends laughed.

-"But we don't have earthquakes." Another student said.

-"New Hampshire had a three pointer not too long ago." The valedictorian intoned with a superior hint in her voice.

Clarkson waved his cell phone in the air.

-"It's not an earthquake. They're calling it an Earth Shaking. And it wasn't just us. It went around the world!" He exclaimed.

The small professor elbowed his way through the students that clung to each other to teach his small TV at the back of the classroom. The screen popped on and immediately the room was filled with the voice of a reporter's excited chatter.

Conscious of Hunter watching her from across the room, Callie stood on her tiptoes to see the TV. Her lack of height only let her see a corner of the TV through the crowd. The reporter quieted down and Ms. Hammond let out a squeal of a five-year-old.

-"I don't believe it!" She screeched.

-"I knew you'd love this." Mr. Clarkson puffed out his chest and crossed his arms over his pudgy chest. "It came down in a big explosion. Everyone thought it was a bomb. But this giant stone just appeared. That's when the Earth Shaking started."

Out of the corner of Callie's eye, she saw Hunter make his way toward her.

-"What appeared? What stone?" Arthur muscled his way through the crowd to the front. His permanent posse followed close behind, edging everyone else out.

Avoiding Hunter's seeking gaze, Callie squeezed in behind Arthur through the crowd and stopped beside Ms. Hammond.

-"Is that what I think it is?" One of Arthur's buddies exclaimed.

-"It's a metal cross." Another teammate guffawed.

-"It's a sword, dumbass."

On Mr. Clarkson flat screen, the tagline read Glastonbury, England. Smoke and broken concrete littered the scene. British policemen had closed off a certain section near an old church with yellow police tape and they stood guard around the perimeter. Crowds of people gathered around them. They all looked wide-eyed at the scene in front of them.

"It was not a meteor, folks..." Said a perky brunette reporter in a fitted suit. A small name tag on her suit said, BBC News, Joanne Sanders. "The tremor that has been felt around the world originated here." She twisted her head to the side as the camera zoomed in again on the stone.

"This Earth Shaking started early this afternoon. This massive stone with a sword that looks like something from the Arthurian legends appeared ... Wait –" She pushed on her ear as if trying to better hear the person talking in her ear piece. "We have a clip. It was taken by one of the tourist that was visiting here today in Glastonbury." The camera focused on the reporter again and she waved to a crew person. "Go ahead, roll it."

A shaky video clip started up and showed the giant rock appearing out of nowhere a few feet of the massive church stairs. It seemed to just appear out of nowhere, piercing through the earth and causing the above sidewalk to crack and split. When it reached the surface an ear-splitting sound rocked through the small camera phone.

The owner of the phone let out a foul curse as dust and debris littered the air. People started to scream and a few were seen in the background running around crazily.

The video jostled as if the person holding the camera was violently pushed but seconds later the video righted again and like a wave radiating out, the buildings surrounding the area shook in sequence. Once the wave had traveled through, the tourist turned back to the center of the church.

This time revealing the hilt of a long metal object sitting embedded halfway into a massive obsidian-black rock, the size of a pick-up truck.

-"It's a sword," Ms. Hammond said breathlessly, not taking her eyes off the television.

Callie glanced to her left, at where Arthur was located. He had taken a step closer to the TV as if in a trance.

-"Not just any sword." He murmured.

I watched him as his hand came up to touch the TV screen. One of his friends patted him on the back causing him to blink and the strange look on his face to disappear. He looked around nervously, hoping no one had seen his strange behavior. Callie quickly looked away and back to the TV screen.

The camera zeroed in on one side of the rock. On its otherwise smooth surface, the stone had one jagged side extending from the bottom to the top, almost like steps.

The camera focused back on the reporter.

"Thankfully, a minimal number of lives have been lost—but the reports are still coming in from around the globe and at this point the extent of the damaged caused is still yet unknown. Still, the world is abuzz. There has not been an event this widespread since the meteor that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs."

Images from around the world flashed across the TV. Paris. Madrid. Berlin. New York City. San Francisco. They all had one thing in common—they had all trembled under the force of the massive shake.

"It does appear to be a sword, a sword in a stone. But is it some sort of elaborate hoax? What caused this shake and where did this stone come from?"

The images on the TV changed again, this time it did not go back to the reporter on the scene but some news studio. A long desk with several people sat calmly. A new reporter started to speak.

"We have a panel of experts here just for those questions. Dr. Hudson, an eminent physicist from Oxford University and Dr. Xavier Ambrosius a noted King Arthur historian and professor at Durham University, a man in very high demand today I am sure." The reporter chuckled at his own joke.

The picture changed to a white-haired man in a too-expensive suit, Dr. Hudson and to a second man, Dr. Xavier Ambrosius. His lean yet gorgeous face filled the screen. With a rakish smile that said he knew exactly how attractive he was, Xavier appeared to be more of an underwear model than a university professor. He also appeared to be very young, in his twenties, and seemed like he should be a student instead of a lecturer.

-"He's a professor?" A girl from behind Callie murmured.

At the same moment, Dr. Ambrosius started to speak.

"The myth of King Arthur started with Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, that is the classic image icon we all think of when we say King Arthur."

Callie's jaw dropped as he spoke. Xavier had the same eerily familiar accent as Hunter, an accent that Callie had never in her life heard before. But there were more than just the sound of their strange accent. Both men had very familiar looks. Both had high cheek-bones and just an obvious relation to each other.

-"Talk about hot for teacher!" Purred a girl from the chemistry class.

-"He's not that handsome." Hunter muttered.

Everyone turned to Hunter.

-"Missing a twin, Emrys?" One of Arthur's friends said with a sneer.

The small group of guys all laughed, but I couldn't help but notice Arthur was not joining in the usual banter of harassment. He seemed drawn back. As I watched him closer, his eyes were fixed on Hunter, as if he were trying to remember something but couldn't quite get there.

-"If we were twins, would we not share the same surname?" Hunter's accent seemed a bit heavier as his annoyance grew.

-"You do sound just like him," Ms. Hammond ventured.

Hunter's tone softened.

-"He is not my twin."

-"Of course—" Mr. Clarkson rubbed a hand over his bald scalp and gave a fake laugh. "Of course. Let's leave Mr. Emrys alone."

Everyone dutifully turned back to the TV. and the Physics professor gave Hunter a knowing nod, as if to say that he had his back. Hunter had a knack with the faculty of the school. Since he had arrived all the teachers treated him better than most students, even went out of their way for him.

The male reporter voice filled the room.

"We have yet to see how the British government will respond. There are so many questions that the public is left asking tonight. Is this in fact the famed Sword in the stone and if so, why is it here now?"

"Closer scientific study should begin immediately." Dr. Hudson started with a serious note to his voice. "The impact crater suggests the stone could not have fallen more than a few feet. It alone could not cause a worldwide tremor—"

Dr. Ambrosius interrupted him.

"You're missing the obvious. We should gather other historians—"

Everyone jumped when the emergency bell for the school started to ring. Mr. Clarkson muted the TV and quickly checked his cellphone.

-"It's just a test, to make sure the emergency system still works." He stuck his phone back in his front shirt pocket and clapped his hands together. "Everyone should get back to their classes."

Everyone hurried out. Some left to go to their next class, while others were going home. Callie and a few other students headed back to the original classroom to gather their things left behind. Callie stuck her notebook into her backpack, trying to hurry as she watched Hunter slowly approach her desk.

-"I heard there is going to be a large celebration to welcome the sword and the stone."

Callie wanted to ignore him, but she dared to glance up. Hunter had slipped on his tight black leather jacket. The jacket was tailored perfectly to him and had no collar. It made him look so… intense.

-"It didn't take them long to find a reason to get drunk."

Hunter chuckled.

-"They are college students they don't need a reason."

-"They? Last time I checked you were a student too."

-"I meant people who like that sort of thing." Hunter shrugged.

Callie zipped her backpack with an angry snap.

-"What do you want, Hunter?"

-"Plenty of things." He replied saucily but his eyes suggested different, something more intense.

His hand reached out to smooth a few stray tendrils of Callie's hair off to the side. She jerked away and his hand dropped. He gave her a wistfully smile.

-"It's been an odd day, don't you think? This strange tremor and all—"

-"I'm sure there's a scientific explanation for the tremor." Callie dismissed him.

-"A scientific explanation," he said slowly. "Is that what you really think?"

-"Sure, why not?" Callie slipped on her backpack and made a motion to start to leave. "Look, I've got to get to gym."

Hunter blocked her exit.

-"I saw you switch off my text." He said in a wounded tone.

Callie's cheeks puffed and her cheeks turned bright red in anger but before I could reply someone else did.

-"You have nothing to say that she wants to hear, Hunter Emrys."

In black Sergio Rossi Suede Platform Boot and bouncing brown curls, Allison stomped up to Callie's desk. Another student lingering near Callie swallowed his tongue at the sight of her. Allison didn't notice. Her usual carefree expression was set to protective, angry best friend mode.

-"Pardon me?" Hunter stared at her in confusion.

-"Pardon me." Allison mimicked. "You sound so polite. Too bad you don't act it." She grabbed Callie by the elbow and started pulling her toward the door. "Let's go."

-"Callie, wait." Hunter suddenly begged. "It's important. I need to talk to you."

Callie's traitorous heart fluttered. She wanted to say yes. But she had been saying yes for two months. She had been talking for two months. She thought she and Hunter were friends, but she had been dead wrong. It was still painful to think how wrong she was.

Callie shook her head.

-"You dumped me, Hunter. Remember? You don't get to talk anymore."

* * *

**A/N: So there you have it. My first chapter to my Merlin story. A season six to the show maybe? Ah we can all dream right? :)**

**Please leave me a comment, tell me what you think. Should I keep going?**


	2. Chapter 2 - The Beast

**VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTICE: **_If you read last chapter before today this note is for you. I made a HUGE mistake! I accidently used the wrong name for Callie's friend and sister. You might know her as Robin, but that is a name I am also using further in the story. I really have no idea why I used it for two different people, I think it was a brain malfunction on my part. So please take note that the girl who was Robin is now Allison. Again sorry for the confusion._

**Chapter 2**  
**The Beast**

Merlin watched Callie walk away with a frustrated sigh. He really had to talk to her and soon, or it would be too late. His hands tightened into a fist as he felt the familiar surge of power course through him. He took a deep breath and held it for a moment.

He was here for one reason and one reason only. Arthur. But there was a problem; Arthur had no memory of Merlin or of his life in Camelot. He looked exactly as Merlin remembered him; there was no mistaking him for someone else. This version of Arthur had a bit shorter hair but he had the same eerie blue eyes that had haunted him for years after his death. This Arthur was just like his old friend as well, he oozed arrogance and self-righteousness, and that was becoming a problem. Arthur saw Merlin as a threat because of Callie.

Merlin let out the breath he'd been holding with a loud whoosh, but he still felt that burning annoyance inside him. It had done little to cool his temper.

When he had arrived to New Hampshire and enrolled at the University it had all been in the pretense to befriend Arthur before the Stone would rise, so Merlin had created Hunter, which was the name he went by these days anyway, he couldn't very well tell people his real name.

Merlin knew the stone was coming, he had seen it in one of the many visions that plagued him. There were some draw backs to being immortal and one of them was that he was now more powerful than ever. He had found that he could often see glimpses of things that were to come. Merlin had predicted many events over the centuries and this had been just another one of them. He had seen the stone coming and the return of Arthur.

The problem was this was not Arthur's sword, at least he didn't think so ... He had given Arthur's sword, the sword that was now known as Excalibur to Freya, or as the legends call her, the Lady of the Lake. Merlin had been there when the sword was forged by the great dragon Kilgharrah and Merlin had thrown the same sword in the Lake of Avalon after Arthur's death ... so how had it ended up in the stone in the first place?

So when Merlin had arrived at the school he had not expected to find Callie, Arthur's half-sister. He had seen the girl in his visions ... but he knew little more, other than she was needed just as much as Arthur. He was to bring both Arthur and her back to England. The problem was he had not expected to find Callie so ... enticing and distracting. He couldn't afford to be sidetracked right now. Too much was at stake.

Over the last thousand years Merlin had formed a secret community for people with magic. They had their own school for their children, even their own government. The magical community was thriving, although none of it had happened over night.

After Arthur's death, Merlin had virtually disappeared. He had never gone back to Camelot. He couldn't. The man he had been destined to protect, his best friend had died. All because he had been unable to shield him. If only he had headed Kilgharrah advice and destroy Morgana and Mordred when he had the chance, none of this would have happened.

Arthur was back now. Just as the great Dragon had said. But Merlin knew if Arthur was back it could only mean one thing. The world was in trouble and the fact that Arthur remembered nothing was a big problem. He hoped that it would come back in time ... until then he would have to be re-trained. His life was in danger and he had no idea.

Merlin wouldn't fail his friend again. He would keep Arthur safe, no matter what the cost was.

* * *

-"I can't believe you even let that jerk near you." Allison said as she hurried down the hallway. "After the way he treated you—"

-"It was only five dates." Callie muttered.

Allison snorted.

-"He texted you to say that you and him wouldn't work out. How lame is that?"

Callie shrugged. She had put entirely too much on this relationship, she had read more into it than what was there and that was not Hunter's fault.

-"I just assumed he wanted more, he didn't and stopped things before I got too involved." Callie defended.

Allison rolled her eyes.

-"Don't make excuses for him, Cal."

-"I got to attached Ally; it's my fault, end of story." Callie snapped.

Allison sighed and checked her watched.

-"We are going to be late."

The girls ran across a small courtyard, barely glancing at the gloomy November sky. They ran to the side entrance of the gym that led directly to the girl's locker room. Allison stopped at the door.

-"Arthur and I just want to look out for you. You've had a tough year. We all know you are still having nightmares."

Callie's jaw dropped open.

-"You can hear me?"

Allison's luscious lips turned down into a sad smile.

-"We're on the same floor and you don't exactly scream quietly, you know." Her lovely amber eyes narrowed on me. "You are feeling vulnerable and Hunter took advantage of that. I won't let him hurt my sister."

Callie felt her cheeks heat at Allison's statement, she wasn't sure what embarrassed her more, the fact that everyone knew she was having nightmares or that she appeared to be in need of rescue. The white knight routine happened to Callie a lot. She wondered if it was because she was petite and blonde which gave off the vibe that she needed rescuing or because she had been dealt such terrible cards in the game of life. Either way, she did not need anyone to help her. Appearances were deceiving.

Sure losing her mother, her only family that she had ever known had been a bit ... overwhelming. So much so that it became a little hard to breathe sometimes ... But she was still here, surviving. She even had a new family to help her through it. Arthur and Allison were twins, although not fraternal, but so alike in many ways. Callie had hit it off with Allison as soon as they meet and became instant best friends.

Callie opened the door to the gym.

-"I can handle Hunter—or anyone else for that matter."

Allison grinned.

-"That's my girl." Allison walked by and paused for a moment. "But you don't always have to pretend you're happy ... it's okay to be sad too. Either way I'll always be there for you."

**oOo**

With Callie's classes done for the day she headed out to the parking lot where she was supposed to meet Arthur. She lived in the upscale neighborhood nearby with her new family. She had considered using the dorms but her father insisted that she just try living with them for the first year. It had just been an extremely weird coincidence that the University was near her new home and that not only her but Arthur and Allison were both enrolled as well.

A 1963 dark blue Jaguar E-Type Roadster roared up the curb from the student parking lot. Both students and professors that were bustling off to class all stopped and stared in awed at the car. Despite the rich, ivy-league environment, where large SUVs and ridiculously expensive cars were a common sight, the Jaguar had nothing universal about it. Arthur's special car was not only fully restored to factory condition, but just to make him even more noticeable the driving wheel was located on the right side. It screamed for attention, just like its driver.

Arthur pulled up next to Callie and rolled down the window.

-"I've got to take Ally home. Her car won't start." He leaned his elbow on the open windowsill and grinned. "I told our mother not to let her buy that awful SUV."

Allison leaned toward Callie over her brother.

-"Tell him it's a great car, not a pile of shit! And he should get something other than a two-seater. There are three of us now."

Arthur's face turned bright red.

-"I love this car, it was a gift, so unless you plan to buy me something bigger -"

Callie rolled her eyes at their bickering.

-"I will just take the bus. I'll be fine."

As if the bus had heard Callie, the giant blue and white city bus popped into view, coming down the narrow road to pick up the line of students all patiently waiting. Callie was about to head towards the line when the deafening sound of a high-powered engine filled the air. Like a rocket, Hunter's sleek Yamaha YZF thundered pass the bus and onto the sidewalk. A few people walking close by gave him a glare. The motorcycle stopped inches from Callie. Hunter took off his helmet and quirked a brow at Callie.

-"I can take her." His soft voice carried over the sound of the bus pulling up.

Callie furrowed her brow. _How could he have known what they were talking about, he hadn't been anywhere near them._

-"No one is going with you, Emrys." Arthur bit out.

-"I think the bus is going to be a while." Hunter nodded towards the large bus.

Right on cue, a giant whooshing sound hissed from below the bus as people was starting to get on. The bus tilted as its back tires deflated in front of Callie's eyes. A cacophony of groans filled the air as the bus driver rushed out to see his back tires totally flat. Hunter extended his hand to Callie.

-"Please, Callie."

Callie hesitated. She knew she should say no. So why did she want to say yes? Before she could talk her way out of it, Callie's hand slipped into his. His big, warm hands wrapped around hers. Callie felt goose bumps as his long, elegant fingers tightened around her hand. She felt tingling warmth spread through her body as he quickly dug an extra helmet from the small bag on the side of the bike and he helped her climb on the bike behind him.

Callie sank against his back and instinctively wrapped her arms around his lean waist. A thrill of pleasure shot through her.

-"What the hell, Callie!" Arthur protested as Allison gave her a pleading look.

-"It's starting to drizzle and home isn't that far, guys." Callie started. "I'll be fine; I will see you both at home."

The Yamaha roared to life and Hunter took off without a glance back. He pulled out with such force that Callie had to cling even tighter to Hunter as she pressed herself even more to his back. The bike flew out of the school gates and onto the street with a violent squeal.

The streets of the small town that revolved around the University dipped and rose twisted and turned, making the ride more like a roller coaster. The beautiful trees that lined the small community sidewalks were painted with red, brown and gold, but all of them were blurred together from the high-speed Hunter insisted on going. The old upscale Victorian houses soon all faded away, giving way to the occasional farmhouse and pasture. The area had the classic New England view to it.

The cold wind seeped through Callie's wool jacket and her fingers felt like ice as she dug her fingers into Hunter's leather jacket for some warmth, but none of that bothered her at all. It was just her and Hunter, in this moment of speeding delirium and it was exhilarating. Until Hunter came to an abrupt stop at a red light on the outskirts of town.

-"How can you drive so crazily in the rain?" Callie asked, feeling breathless.

Hunter shrugged.

-"The rain doesn't fall on me."

Oddly, he was right. Callie took a closer look and noticed that the rain drops were falling all around them, but none of them hit her or Hunter. The light turned green and the motorbike took off again. Callie's cheek slammed into Hunter's shoulder and the sudden scent of his sandalwood soap and leather filled her senses.

Barreling down the country road, Hunter took a left onto the familiar one-lane road. The gravel path was quite deceiving to those who didn't know the area. The small path seemed to lead to nowhere except maybe a dead-end, but it would eventually opened up to a few isolated, large homes.

The sky grew darker as clouds moved over. Hunter glanced up and let out a foul curse then suddenly swerved his Yamaha. Callie clung to him, holding on for dear life. Hunter jerked the bike left and right.

-"What are you doing?" Callie screamed, feeling panic creeping in.

-"We're being followed." He grounded out.

Callie glanced behind them and saw nothing, but a prickle that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up told her to glance up. When she did, her breath hitched. An enormous shadow the size of a large elephant flew over them. It suddenly swooped down.

-"Why did I get you a white helmet?" Hunter muttered under his breath.

Callie felt the sudden urge to ask why he had gotten her a helmet at all if she was taking things to seriously and he was not interested in her but she bit her tongue, knowing the moment really wasn't right.

Hunter mumbled a strange word, Callie was about to ask him to repeat himself but the most peculiar wind-swept over her and for a brief moment she heard an odd buzzing sound coming from inside her helmet. It made her ears hurt and as she was about wrench the thing free from her head, she caught her reflection in the motorbike's side mirror. To her shock her helmet was black.

Callie blinked. Was she seeing things? Her arms tightened around Hunter.

-"Hunter, stop the bike!" Callie cried.

But he ignored her.

-"Hang on." He called back.

The motorcycle swerved again, but this time Hunter went too far and the bike hit grass. The tires slipped in the wet, slippery grass. Callie let out a screamed as the Yamaha skidded. The motorcycle started to overturn on its side. Hunter and Callie dipped so far off to the side that she was sure her head would scrape on the ground, but Hunter put out his hand and somehow the motorcycle righted itself.

Back on two firm wheels, Hunter accelerated even more, taking them further into the countryside until the gravel road ended. That did little to stop Hunter. He kept up his neck breaking speed, zigzagging in and out of trees. Callie arms tightened even more around Hunter as she glanced up, only to see the giant shadow still following.

Branches and wet leaves hit them both hard as they barreled through, bursting past them, until Hunter pulled the bike to a screeching halt inside an isolated clearing. The shadow wasted no time and landed in front of them. The mysterious form was over five times as tall as them. It had a compact body and two giant wings almost as big as the creature itself. The wings had no feathers but instead the surface seemed to shimmer in dark purple.

As if sensing Callie's gaze, it turned its red, glowing eyes on her.

-"What the hell is that?" Callie screamed. Hunter wasted no time though and got off the bike, pulling her with him. "Hunter!" Callie grabbed a hold of his jacket and started to pull him towards the wooded area to make a run for it.

Hunter merely shrugged out of her grasp and quickly went to the small bag at the side of the bike. He opened it and to Callie's amazement he suddenly pulled out a sword. An actually, four-foot long metal sword. He threw it at Callie and without a second thought she grabbed it, wrapping her hand perfectly around the handle.

-"What am I supposed to with this?" Callie's screamed in a high-pitched voice.

Hunter looked back down and dug around in his bag.

-"You used to take fencing lessons—"

-"How did you know that?" Callie asked shrilly, cutting him off before he could even finish his phrase.

-"I will tell you later."

He pointed to strange creature as he pulled out a giant, brown, leather-bound book and some plastic bags which were filled with what looked like powder.

-"Are you serious? You're going to read?" Callie hollered.

Hunter flipped open the book, appearing very calm despite the whole bizarre situation.

-"Callie, just keep it occupied." He said, not bothering to look up.

Frustrated and terrified Callie debated running off into the woods. She then briefly questioned if she should slap herself to see if that would wake her up from the nightmare she was having. But this was reality ... it felt like it anyway and she couldn't leave Hunter.

Just then, the shadowy creature seemed to solidify more and it took on a better shape. Not that Callie had ever seen anything like it before. With the body of a Stegosaurus dinosaur but the head of what almost looked like a dragon, the beast was the color of the sky at midnight. A dark blue that almost appeared black. The animal tucked its wings in and wasting no time, it charged at Callie. Not knowing what to do, she just started to hacked away at the empty space in front of her without any sort of plan.

The shadow-like beast stopped and swiped its large clawed wing.

Seeing the motion, Callie ducked and swung her sword again, missing its target. Giant teeth came snapping at her and she ducked again and by miracle Callie somehow made contact, the sword hit the beast in the flank, but the only results was a massive pain rang through her arm and vibrate her whole body, as if she had just hit solid rock. The creature opened its mouth and let out a bellow that shook the earth, second's later fire roared out of its mouth.

Callie screamed and waited for the pain to course through her body, but all she felt was a hard tackle to her right and roughly landing on the wet grass. Callie looked up to find Arthur on top of her. Her eyes met his wild gaze and everything about him seemed different.

-"Are you okay?!" He asked gruffly with a mild accent as the shadow-beast roared again, angry it had missed its target.

Not giving her time to answer, Arthur grabbed the sword which lay beside Callie and just as the creature blew out another stream of fire, he raised the sword above his head. Fire blasted the sword, but instead of burning him to ashes, it redirected the fire ball back onto it. Callie watched in horror as the beast screamed and the fire singed its side. Without thinking she stood and rushed to Arthur's side, meaning to get him out of the way, but moments later the beast swiped its clawed paw.

Pointy claws shredded through Callie's skin on her right side. She screamed as she fell her to knees. Blood oozed through her clothes. Arthur dropped the sword seeming confused as what he was doing.

Callie needed to get out of the way or she and Arthur would be this beast's meal, but just then a loud horn echoed through the clearing.

-"Get away from them!" Allison shouted as she drove Arthur's Jaguar through the woods.

The Jaguar turned directly into the path of the creature and Allison rammed the car into it. The beast screamed, but didn't retreat. Its giant wing sprung up and slammed into the vintage car like a battering ram hitting a wall. The car flew into the air, flipped, and then crashed into a large willow tree.

-"No!" Callie cried.

The beast's hateful stare turn its eyes back at Callie as Arthur turned to see what Callie was staring at but before the creature could move the Jaguar's door opened and Allison jumped out. She started to run towards them, but stumbled over a large broken branch from the tree.

Just then Hunter's voice carried to them.

-"Arthur!" He held a plastic bag in his hand. "Give me the sword."

But Arthur ignored him. Seeming to be out of his strange trance he grabbed the sword and rushed towards Allison. The beast opened its mouth and a blast of fire scorched the grass beneath his feet. Arthur tried to avoid it by side stepping around the fire but tripping over a piece of metal he fell to his side, sending the sword flying. Arthur hit the ground hard, smashing his face into the dirt. He didn't move.

Satisfied, the beast turned back towards Callie who had collapsed on the ground. In the same instant Allison had gotten back up and was rushing towards her. The shadow-creature swiped her away with little thought.

The sword that Arthur had held landed right at Hunter's feet. Hunter grabbed it and sprinkled the strange powder onto the blade.

-"_Sarati!_" He bellowed.

The word scraped Callie's ears and left a strange eerie feeling in the pit of her stomach. The beast swooped down at him and Hunter wasted no time, he threw the sword. It landed in the middle of the creature's chest. The beast let out an outraged bellow as the sword slid in deeper into its belly. The sword then started to sink down as if it were a warm knife plunge in butter. The sword cleanly cut through half of the beast's body and by the time the sword reached the ground, the creature had vanished into a giant puff of smoke.

Hunter rushed to where Callie laid on the ground and picked her up without much effort.

-"Why didn't you just do that in the first place?" Callie demanded.

-"I needed the right spell and herbs to use on the Daedra. Nothing else would have worked on it otherwise."

Callie wanted to ask more but pain blurred her vision.

-"Please ..." She grounded out. "Check on Arthur and Allison."

-"No you first." Hunter laid Callie on her side and her head lolled against his chest. A drizzle of rain slapped her in the face as she slowly let herself sink into the darkness taking over.

-"Stay with me, Callie." Hunter ordered. Callie tried to protest but all that came out was a cross between a groan and a gurgling sound, her body growing weaker by the second. "Wake up, Calypso!" Hunter frantically raked his eyes over her and spotting the fresh blood spot getting bigger he opened her jacket and roughly pulled up her shirt, revealing three very deep gouges in her skin. "Bloody beast." He cursed. "This is going to take all my strength."

Hunter put his hands inches over the wounds and concentrated hard.

A sharp pain suddenly jolted Callie like a bolt of lightning. The pain spread out like a vine trying to sprout out of the wound. Callie writhed on the ground as the pain spread through her body. She let out a pitiful whimper but moments later when she thought she couldn't handle any more, the pain slowly receded. Hunter rolled Callie gently onto her back as she opened her eyes to meet his stare.

Hunter looked almost normal ... not even winded, except for the slightest flash of amber in his eyes. Callie blinked and the amber as gone, leaving his crystal blue eyes staring back at her, leaving her to wonder if she had imagined it. Hunter slid his hand gently on her skin over her ribs, the nasty claw marks gone.

-"That was the easiest healing I've ever done." Hunter said with a quirky smile.

Callie slowly sat up feeling a bit shook up. Hunter quickly pulled his hand away from her chest suddenly blushing. Callie let her fingers roam over her bare skin, where the deep wounds had been, until she remembered where she was.

-"Arthur ... Allison." She whispered hoarsely, looking around frantically for a sign of her brother and sister.

Hunter was on his feet in seconds and rushed to Arthur, who was still lying in the field of grass. Kneeling next to him, Hunter did a quick assessment, but Arthur was already stirring.

-"He's fine." Hunter helped Arthur sit up.

-"C-Callie?" Arthur said groggily, rubbing his face trying to shake off the dizziness.

Callie slowly stood up and glanced around the eerily quiet clearing. The trees that surrounded them were mostly bare except for a few that still had orange and red leaves in them, all swayed silently together in rhythm. Callie scanned the area for any sight at all of Allison.

-"Allison?" She called out, as her body shook, not fully recovered from the blood loss, it took quite an effort for her to stay upright. Callie violently swayed but Hunter was back to catch her before she crashed back to the ground. "Hunter? Where is she?" Callie asked croaked.

Hunter cradled Callie in his arms like a small child. He walked to a large boulder and gently deposited her on it. He then closed his eyes. Leaves on the ground shifted and swirled like a mini tornado. The leaves blew off the ground and with a powerful shift they all moved in one direction as if leading the way. They climbed over a tiny knoll and stopped. All the leaves dropped to the ground.

Hunter rushed to the very same spot, disappearing over the small hill. What seemed like an eternity later he emerged back, holding Allison in his arms with a grim expression on his face. Her head flopped at an odd angle. Hunter slowly carried Allison closer to Callie, refusing to meet her horrified stare. A sudden cry tore through the meadow as Arthur rushed to Hunter's side.

Callie watched the appalling scene as if it was all happening in slow motion. She fought to breathe.

-"A-Allison ..." Callie whispered. She stumbled off the rock and hobbled over to Hunter who had gently put Allison on the ground. Arthur grabbed his sister and cradled her broken body. "Help her." Callie mumbled numbly as she reached them and faced Hunter's sorrowful expression. "Help her, like you helped me." Callie begged her voice flat and broken.

Hunter knelt next to Allison and Arthur, he shook his head sadly. He then closed her eyes, causing Arthur to sob loudly.

-"It doesn't work like that. I can't heal her. She's too far gone."

Callie dropped to her knees. The ground was wet and soft and her knees sank into mud. Tears streamed down her face. Her body hurt, her soul hurt ... As if the sky knew her pain, fast-moving clouds crashed into each other and the rain started to pour down in heavy bucket. The wind violently blew, scattering the leaves and bits of ash everywhere.

Callie fought to stay upright. How could this happen again?

Hunter wrapped one arm around her, putting a hand on her back. Warmth seeped into her numb skin, so much so that it burnt. Callie jerked away from him and with every ounce of remaining strength she turned to him.

-"What are you?" She demanded.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Thank you to everyone who gave chapter 1 a chance and left me a review. Thank you for the follows and Favorites too, your support means the world to me a writer.**

**Also a special thanks to my friend Robin. ****(Sorry, I have bigger plans for you!)**  
I missed your birthday on FB :( Ugh am such a bad friend :((( But HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I shall be immortalizing you in a form of text as a gift heh

**Please keep the reviews and comments coming, I love hearing from you.**

**Last note. I have a video trailer for this story! It's quite epic and a must see! The link is in my profile.**

**XxX**


	3. Chapter 3 - The Betrayal

**Chapter 3**  
**The Betrayal**

Clear blue eyes stared at Callie with soul shattering honesty.

-"Are you sure you want to know?"

Callie swallowed hard.

-"I need to know."

Hunter said a soft word and a gentle breeze whirled around them. He waved his hand at the trees that canopied over them from the bleak sky. The branches rustled as they opened to show the clouds, and moments later the clouds parted just enough to let in a few rays of sunlight. Light streamed down and illuminated the clearing where the giant beast had stood. Hunter took Callie's cold hands and pressed them in between his.

-"I'm a sorcerer, Callie. I have magic."

**oOo**

Hunter put the helmet back on Callie's head and slung her up on the motorcycle. He hopped on, said a few muffled words and within minutes, they were bursting through the thicket of trees beyond the clearing. Clouds raced over them as they sped past the quiet graves of a small cemetery. Callie avoided looking at the headstones, trying not to focus on the battle that had just happened.

The Yamaha sped down the narrow road, balancing so delicately that any moment it could fall off the sharp edges of the road. The Jaguar followed close behind as if it had a mind of its own. Hunter had put a zombie-like Arthur inside. The group backtracked back to the road until they came back to the gravel lane. Hunter followed it, turning on another small gravel road until they came to a large barrier of thick brushes.

There, nestled against a backdrop of long-limbed trees, under a single ray of sun in an otherwise grey sky, stood the eerie mansion.

The first time Callie had seen the gothic monstrosity, nothing had seemed more foreign to her after coming from a small two-bedroom apartment of the scorching Arizona sun where she had grown up. Hunter drove the motorcycle down the lane and pulled the bike halfway around the circular driveway. He stopped in between the gurgling stone fountain and the front door.

Callie scrambled off the bike, and felt this sudden burst of dizziness hit her, her knees folded and she started to go down. Her helmet should have met concrete, but Hunter caught her about the waist. He tugged the helmet off with one hand.

-"You're still weak." He said gently. "Try not to move too much. I've told your body to heal, but it's not instantaneous. The mansion is enchanted so we should be safe here… for now."

The Jaguar rumbled up behind Callie and Hunter but he paid them no mind. Hunter had used some sort of spell to make the old car follow them to Arthur's home like a faithful puppy. The front door of the estate opened wide and Stacie, Arthur and Allison's mom, stepped outside. Callie felt her chest squeezed with anxiety. Stacie emerged looking immaculate but she always did. Stacie had been kind since the day Callie had stepped foot through and had always treated her with respect, never overstepping the bounds. She seemed to understand that Callie didn't want a replacement to her mother.

Stacie was nothing like Callie's mother and she wondered how her father had chosen such opposite women. Callie's mom, a gym teacher, wore the part with shorts and t-shirt as her primary wardrobe. Stacie was the complete opposite. The president of Avalon Bank and Commodities, she was the image of cool and calculated business woman. She was always ready for anything.

Close behind Stacie was Martha, a thirty-something with one long streak of white in her otherwise jet black hair with thick glasses, followed close behind her. Martha was Stacie's assistant but she always seemed to be around. As they walked out, Martha spoke into her cellphone with a mild English accent.

-"…Who cares about a tiny tremor? We're still here, yes? The markets will quiet."

Stacie marched toward Callie and Hunter.

-"Callie, darling, are you all right?" Her words were uttered calmly, but there was a certain steel underneath.

Tears misted Callie's eyes. She pushed away from Hunter as Stacie came closer and noticed the scratches on the Jaguar, although she hadn't seen the worse the damage because the broken side faced away from them.

-"What happened, did Arthur get in an accident?" She muttered.

The Jaguar's engine suddenly cut and had just died. The car had met a silent end—beaten and broken. Stacie's expensive Prada heels clicked sharply as she strode straight to the car and pulled open the driver's side handle. Arthur stumbled out of the driver's side with a wild look.

-"It wouldn't open!" He cried.

Stacie caught him by the shoulders.

-"Arthur! Are you okay?"

He shook his head.

-"Allison."

-"Where is your sister?" Stacie asked sharply.

Hunter stepped forward.

-"There was an attack, Mrs. Young. I'm sorry."

Stacie paled. She ran to the Jaguar's passenger side but Callie couldn't watch. She shut her eyes tight, but that did little to hide the sounds. She heard the yank of the door and the awful creaking of metal rubbing together. Stacie let out a horrible mewling cry. The wounded sound pierced through Callie like a knife in her gut. She swayed for a moment and Hunter quickly put an arm around her shoulders in support but she shook him away.

-"Just don't ..."

-"What happened?" Stacie demanded, her cheeks stained with tears.

Hunter went to the Jaguar. He put his hand on the passenger door to shut it again. Stacie stopped him.

-"Who are you?" She barked at him.

Hunter's tall, lank frame towered over Stacie but she didn't back down.

-"My name is Hunter Emrys. I have been sent by the Council."

-"The Council." Martha gasped as she hurried over to my side.

-"What council?" I asked.

-"The Council that governs over all people with magic." Hunter said not taking his eyes on Stacie, who couldn't take her eyes off Allison's limp frame.

Martha quickly took charge of the situation and crossed over to the car. She dug out a spare blanket from the trunk and brought it around. She gently placed it over Allison and bringing Stacie out of her trance, but only to bring her tight fist to her mouth, she bit down on the flesh like a small scared child, her lips quivered and her whole body shook. For the first time since Callie had met Stacie, she didn't seem in charge of the world. She looked lost, alone.

-"W-what happened to my daughter?" Stacie finally asked.

Hunter bowed his head.

-"We were attacked. By the time we found her it was too late. I am very sorry."

Arthur's head jerked up.

-"Callie had blood all over her. That thing nearly shredded her, but you fixed her."

-"Yes." Hunter said carefully, almost seeming hesitant. "She was only wounded. I could heal her."

-"You healed her." Arthur pointed a shaking finger at Callie. "But not Allison." Arthur blinked. "You're full of shit, Emrys."

-"Arthur ..." Callie said faintly, suddenly feeling sicker than before.

Arthur flinched at his harsh words.

-"I'm so sorry." He gave Callie a bleak look. "Allison made me follow the bike. She wanted to protect you ..."

Callie's legs grew heavy under the crushing weight that seemed to have overtaken her entire body. She crossed the cobblestone driveway to Arthur and put a hand on his arm.

-"She did protect me." Callie said with a strangled voice.

Arthur flinched and she quickly dropped her arm. Stacie's eyes remained fixed on Hunter.

-"Who attacked them?" Stacie demanded.

Hunter returned her steady gaze.

-"A Daedra."

-"A Daedra?" Martha repeated.

-"It's a creature summoned from the netherworld by a very powerful sorcerer."

-"Have you lost your mind, Emrys?" Arthur gaped.

-"Enough, Arthur." Stacie said, her voice strained and tired. "I'm sorry. I had hoped that he wasn't ... I kept our family history a secret."

Hunter nodded as if he was used to such deferential treatment—something Callie wasn't used to giving. With effort, she pushed away the lethargic feeling taking over her body. She let out a pained laugh.

-"Summoned creature, sorcerers? That's ridiculous. I suggest you trade in the biker jacket for a straight one."

Hunter looked at Callie with utter seriousness.

-"Is it as ridiculous as the Daedra we faced?"

Something awful stirred in Callie's gut. A small gust of wintry wind flew through the driveway and Callie glared at him.

-"Why would anyone attack us?" Callie asked bitterly

-"Who is the sorcerer?" Martha asked.

-"Not you." Hunter said.

-"Arthur is ... special." Hunter said thoughtfully. "He is the Once and Future King."

Arthur's head jerked up.

-"What?" Stacie's hugged herself. "I suspected ... but I never thought ... I didn't want this for him ..." Stacie balled her fists up. "Allison showed some potential for magic." She stopped and swallowed hard. "Allison had shown some telekinetic abilities. But I kept her away from magic school because I did not want anyone to know about Arthur ... In case ... but he has no magic!"

-"Arthur never had magic. In fact not everyone at the school has magic." Hunter paused and Stacie took this chance to interrupt him.

-"How can you know for sure?"

-"I have been watching Arthur for a long time."

-"What do you mean watching?" Callie asked but Hunter didn't look at her.

-"Until he gets his memories back he will need protection and training."

-"Mom." Arthur turned to Stacie. "I want to know what is going on right now."

-"I know." Stacie put a shaky hand on her son.

-"Since this mansion has some protection, I've asked some other possible candidates to rendezvous here. They will be here tonight." Hunter said with authority.

-"No one is coming inside my house." Arthur shouted, growing more agitated.

-"It's not just your house." Stacie snapped.

Arthur took a step back, as if she'd slapped him, Callie was shocked too. She'd never seen Stacie raise her voice to Arthur. He was the golden child that never did anything wrong.

-"Stacie, what is going on?" Callie asked cautiously.

Stacie looked at her as if she had forgotten Callie was there.

-"I will tell you and Arthur everything..." Stacie squared her shoulders. "But first ...I have to make arrangements." Her voice broke on the last word.

Martha put a hand on her shoulder.

-"I will do it."

But as Callie watched the strange scene unfold she couldn't help but say something. What the hell was going on, Allison was dead and here they were talking about strange magical creatures that don't exist! They needed to call someone with real authority. Callie quickly spoke up.

-"We have to call the police."

Martha shook her head.

-"We can't—"

-"Everyone knows Arthur and Allison drove off together. You can't hide this," Callie said firmly.

Hunter stared at the Jaguar.

-"I think I can help."

Without a flinch or another thought, Hunter flicked his wrist. A giant gust of wind swirled around everyone like a tornado. The wind picked up the car and smashed it upside-down into the fountain. The passenger side was completely crushed. Allison was still in the car. Everyone gaped at the wreckage in stunned stupor. The air around them was still and eerily silent just as Stacie let out a horrible cry. She crumpled into Arthur's arms.

Arthur held his sobbing mother in his arms but turned his steely blue eyes on Hunter, giving him a murderous look.

-"Bastard."

**oOo**

It was almost evening by the time the police finished taking everyone's statements. The group stuck to the story that the Jaguar lost traction coming down the lane into the driveway. Everyone had gathered in the majestic living room. Mammoth brown-leather couches dominated the space, Persian rugs covered the hardwood floors, and floor to ceiling French doors opened to the woods outside. The mother of all stone hearths stood in the corner and went all the way up the thirty-foot wall. The massive living room opened to the second story of the house.

Callie sat in her favorite chair—a wood rocker next to the jeweled lamp where she could watch the tall evergreens sway in the breeze. She pulled a cashmere throw around her shoulders and huddled into it. The smell of pumpkin bread lingered on it. Allison and Callie had just cooked and decorated the house the night before for the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday.

A wave of depression struck her hard in the gut as she struggled to push it back. Out of the five couches in the room, Arthur had sunk down on the couch next to her rocker. Callie had extended out her hand and Arthur had all too willingly took it, holding onto each other as a lifeline. He had remained stone-faced through the whole process of the police interrogation.

A ruddy-faced detective asked Arthur several questions.

-"Mr. Pendragon, one last time. The car slid down the drive and overturned, crushing your sister, but you were able to pull yourself out without even getting a scratch. Is that exactly what happened?"

Arthur had looked at Hunter.

-"No."

The detective's gaze sharpened on Arthur but Hunter had touched his arm. The detective blinked, looked confused for a moment, and then stared at his notepad. He cleared his throat.

-"Sorry ... I forgot what I was saying." He muttered, wiping a hand over his face and closed the pad. "It's been a pretty crazy day with the tremor and all. Too many accidents. I hope they find out what's responsible for that earth-shaking quickly." He gave us a brief nod. "I think that is all, Mr. Pendragon. Miss Walsh. And again, I am very sorry for your loss."

A few minutes later, the police had all cleared out of the mansion. Arthur had stood by the window, watching them carrying Allison away. Hunter had watched him carefully.

-"The Council has entrusted me find you Arthur ... We have been waiting for you for a very long time. Only you can list the sword from the stone. It's part of the sword's protection. Only one is worthy enough and it's you."

Stacie drew a sweater around her. Her fingers trembled and Callie could tell she was trying to hold it together…

-"Arthur is just a regular boy ..." Her words were quiet but unconvinced.

-"Let me get this straight." Callie cut in. "You think Arthur is some sort of King Arthur doppelgänger so you came here to scout him."

For the first time since Callie had gotten on the Yamaha—just this afternoon, but it seemed like a lifetime ago—Hunter the mighty sorcerer looked uncertain.

-"Y-Yes." He said hesitatingly.

Callie leaned back hard in the rocker. He'd become friends with her to get to Arthur.

Hunter cleared his throat.

-"Once more potential candidates arrive, we will leave. You may take one bag."

-"I'm not going anywhere, Emrys—not on your say so." Arthur bit out.

-"Arthur, why don't you go rest? You need time to yourself—" Stacie started.

-"There is no time."

Hunter pushed a button on a large remote and a hidden panel opened to reveal a flat-screen TV. He switched channels until he found one covering from Glastonbury, England. A reporter in a fitted suit stood in front of a long line of people.

"Speculation about the Earth Shaking continues. From all over the Isles, they have traveled to this typically quaint little town. Tourists and residents are lining up for one purpose—to wait their turn, their chance, to pull the sword. Yes, that is correct. You know how the story goes—King Arthur pulled the sword from the stone to wield the famous Excalibur sword. The Legend says whoever pulls the sword now to be the next ruler of England."

The camera panned to the line of soldiers, wearing heavy Kevlar and carrying long machine guns, who stood guard around the makeshift square barrier that was around the Sword.

"The British government has been flooded by demands. Countries all around the world have sent delegates to be present for whatever the stone may yield. They believe—as the Earth Shaking indicated—whatever happens with the sword here will affect the whole world."

The camera cut to a bearded man in front of the crowd with a thick British accent.

"I'm not leaving until I get me chance. You can tell the minister. You can tell the queen. It's my right." He declared passionately.

Others around him murmured in agreement. Some held up signs from "OUR SWORD. OUR CHANCE," "IT'S THE END," to "SAVE THE WORLD. PULL THE SWORD."

"What do you think will happen if someone does pull the sword?" The reporter asked the passionate man.

"Not sure. Something, something has to happen. No one will forget the bloke who pulled the sword. Even if nothing happens, its instant fame. Point is—you won't find out if you don't try." Another man leaned in front of the camera. "The end is here. Listen to the legend. Arthur won't come back until the land needs him. It's the end. The sword is our one chance. We can't just sit back."

-"This cannot be happening." Callie murmured.

Hunter muted the sound and Stacie clasped her hands together, she let out a long sighed.

-"It is real. It is also our heritage. Everything you know about the legend is true—to a certain extent, that is. King Arthur. Merlin. They were all real."

She pointed to the TV showing a close up of the giant stone and the sword in question.

-"Heritage?" Arthur scowled. "We're all descended from Merlin?"

Hunter let out an odd, choked cough that sounded a lot like a laugh.

-"No. Many families have magic. Merlin just happens to be the most famous."

A shadow crossed Arthur's features.

-"All those times Allison said she knew who was at the door. The night our Dad died. She had a dream about him on the plane."

Stacie bowed her head.

-"Arthur, the night your father died… everything changed. The family has run the bank for centuries. I never knew ... never imagined that its main commodity was…"

-"Magic." Hunter finished for her with distaste, which made Stacie glare at him.

-"You seem to harbor many objections on how I have run my family."

Hunter shrugged.

-"Not at all, but people like you and your late husband, who sell magic is the reason we are in this situation to begin with -"

Arthur jumped up.

-"Do you know how crazy you both sound?"

Hunter pointed to the TV. The jagged black stone, half the size of a semi-truck, took up most of the screen.

-"What about that? Is it real?"

-"I. Don't. Care." Arthur grounded out.

Hunter made an impatient sound.

-"Haven't you ever wondered why you've succeeded in every sport you've ever tried? You have incredible reflexes—almost as if you see the action before it happens. "Arthur scowled. "Like you should be remembering something but you can't quite recall what it is you should remember ..." Hunter kept pushing.

-"I'm not anything to you."

-"Our magic comes from the druids. Although not all of them were druids, but it's where it originated from. Well most magic's ... Not Merlin's." There was a certain bitterness to Hunter's tone. "But most of the sorcerers back then were just like everyone else, they just wanted to be left in peace. They were the same as everyone else!" Hunter's voice raised in anger. "We just had one differences, we had one advantage. We could control the natural elements. We had magic." Hunter paused and took a slow breath before continuing.

"During Arthur's time, the druids were quite numerous, even after Arthur's father, Uther tried to kill them all, but all that changed after the Battle at Mt. Camlan." A shadow crossed over Hunters face. "When Arthur died at Mt. Camlan, the age of sorcerers and man living together passed. Eventually, what was left of the people with magic formed their own society away from those they called Regulars. The council was formed by Merlin himself, in hopes that Arthur did return."

Hunter grew quiet. The large windows in the living room showed swaying trees, hovering like gargantuan guardians over the house. The silence in the room was almost stiffing. Callie finally spoke up.

-"Why is the sword here now?" She asked quietly.

-"Something very bad is coming—"

-"You don't know." She countered.

His lips twisted into a small smile.

-"I know more than you ever imagined, Calypso. She is returning and she will kill all that stand in her way to get the sword."

Stacie hugged herself.

-"I can't believe she could be coming back ... How would she had her magic…"

Hunter pinned her with a snide look.

-"You ask how, when there are merchants like you who sell magic. Morgana has been amassing power without us even knowing it. We are at war and because of you, we're losing."

Stacie lowered her eyes.

-"The Council never stopped me."

-"The Council has been shortsighted for far to long! They don't want to take up the problem of regulating the sale of magic. I'm trying to change that."

-"Mom, you're a banker." Arthur suddenly yelled. "Magic is not real!"

Hunter flicked his hand and the whole sofa floated up a few inches. Arthur jumped up as if he'd been sitting on a bed of lava. He leaped across the couch towards Hunter. His agility was more than impressive. Arthur hadn't become a jock by accident, Callie realized.

Before Arthur could reach Hunter, he flicked his hand in the air again and Arthur flew back. His shoulders hit the wall with a forceful thud. This time, Arthur got up much slower. Callie stepped between them and faced Hunter.

-"You've proven your point."

-"I wanted to show him what would happen if someone with magic that was not good like me came bursting through the door right now."

Hunter locked eyes with Arthur.

-"Believe me, it would be the last thing you'd ever see. You're no more than a pup and until you remember ..."

Arthur's nostrils flared like a bull about to charge just as Martha burst into the room.

-"You all need to see this."

She hit the volume button on the remote. The clipped voice of the bubbly reporter blared through the flat screen. Yet, this time her face was a mask of sorrow.

"This just in—we have had a death in Glastonbury. Twenty-five year old Russell Smith traveled from London to try his hand at the legendary sword. But he will never return home again."

A scene of medical vans and police in the square filled the screen. The reporter continued.

"At approximately nine-thirty this morning, his turn at the sword came up. He stepped onto the rock and touched the hilt of the sword. Those in the line behind him said nothing happened. He stepped off the rock and was on his way out of the barricades."

The camera zoomed in to bring the reporter and a middle-aged man in focus. The reporter stuck a microphone in the man's face.

"Can you tell us what you saw?"

"He was there at the edge of the square." The man pointed to where police had set up ropes to funnel an exit out of the square where the stone was. "He was leaving and then, he gripped his arm tight and I saw him fall to the ground."

"Thank you, sir." The reporter dismissed the man. The camera panned back on the reporter alone. "We don't have confirmation yet. It appears to be a heart attack. However, relatives who'd come on the trip with Russell said he'd been in perfect health—"

Callie muted the TV.

-"Did Russell have magic?"

"Yes." Hunter didn't quite meet her gaze. "There is risk in trying to pull the sword."

Callie's voice rose.

-"And you want Arthur to do this?"

-"Yes."

Hunter pointed at the long line of people on TV who surrounded the stone.

-"We must find get Arthur to get the sword. That sword ... it has more power than one sword should possess. If it were to fall into the hands of Morgana or someone just as evil ... "Hunter's eyes were bleak. "With it, they will reshape the world. We must make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Why do you think the sorcerer sent a Daedra? To wipe out Arthur before he can remember."

-"How do you even know Arthur is King Arthur?" Callie demanded.

-"I did." Hunter's crystal-hard gaze locked with hers. "I am the one person in the world who can him out and I am not wrong. I have foreseen it."

-"You are a seer." Stacie looked at him with a half-scared, half-awed expression. "There has only ever been one with name the Emrys. You are his descendant?"

Callie frowned.

-"What is a seer?"

Hunter's lips twisted into a grimace.

-"I see the future."

**oOo**

Callie rested her elbows against the ledge of her balcony outside her room and tried to breathe. In the middle of the driveway, under the artificial light of the driveway lamp, sat the dry carcass of the fountain. Half of the ugly stone creature stared up at her. The old statue had a wrinkled forehead, a dog's face and outstretched wings—the hideous creature of a gargoyle stares at up Callie with almost a half-smirk on its face.

Callie blink, ignoring the broke statue that she had seen a million times before, but somehow looked more sinister tonight as she heard the front door below her balcony open.

A head of black as midnight hair gleamed in the fading early winter light. Hunter hurried to his bike. Despite herself, Callie's chest gave an odd squeeze at the sight of him. As if he could read her thoughts, his head snapped up. Callie stepped back into the shadows of the balcony hoping he hadn't seen her, but alas she could not be so lucky.

-"Callie." Hunter suddenly stood on the ledge of the balcony inches from her.

Her mouth opened and closed. Against the backdrop of the sinking sky, his silhouette seemed to be surrounded by a faint blue glow.

-"How did you do that?" She asked astonished.

Hunter cocked his eyebrow, amused.

-"I am a sorcerer."

"Great. Why don't you magic your ass back down?"

Hunter jumped off the ledge and onto the balcony.

-"I know you're upset."

-"That doesn't begin to say I feel right now." She stepped back farther into the shadows.

-"Are you hiding from me?" He inclined his head. Callie didn't answer. "Why are you out here?"

Callie wrapped her arms around herself.

-"I couldn't sleep. I keep thinking about—" She paused meaning to stop talking but the words seemed to just tumble out of her mouth. "I see a dragon. It's like it lives behind my eyelids. Just waiting for me to fall asleep."

In a blink, Hunter had his arms around her. He pulled Callie tight against him. Warmth surrounded her, pushing out the bitter chill. For a second she let it seep into her frigid bones. She let it reach deep inside of her, a lifeline out of the icy abyss that threatened to swallow her from within.

-"You'll be okay." he murmured into her ear. "You're not alone."

Callie pulled away from him.

-"I am alone, Hunter. Because of you. I lost my sister. You're trying to take my brother." Callie's anger grew. "Tell me, Hunter. How am I not alone?" Whirling away from him, she stomped to the door and back into her room. "Just go away."

-"I can't." The words seemed like almost a sigh.

Her heart stilled and then restarted.

-"You used me to get to Arthur." Callie finally burst out.

-"Yes." He replied without apology.

Hunter and Callie both quieted. The silence was almost deafening between the two, but Callie was the first to break it. She turned her head to look at him.

-"So what's left to say?" She tried hard to hide the hurt in her voice.

Hunter walked towards Callie, stopping inches away from her. The heat radiated off his body, his gaze caressed her face.

-"I need you—"

Callie cocked a brow.

-"You're looking to hook up?"

-"Not exactly." He chuckled. "I need you, Callie." He said softly. "You are as important as Arthur in all this; you need to come with Arthur and I."

* * *

**A/N:**

**So there you have it, the 3rd chapter. I do apologize this is a bit of a slow moving story. I am unsure if anyone except awesome regular readers are reading, so unless I can get some more interest I might abandon this project and focus on my other stories a bit more. We shall see :)**

**Thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4 - The Hunter

**Chapter 4 **  
**The Hunter**

Merlin hated this; he hated what he had become. He despised the name Hunter, especially when she said it. He wanted her to use his name, his real name. But it was too soon, she was not ready to know. Even though he had chosen the name Hunter, at the time it seemed appropriate, it was what he had become after all. He had waited and hunted for almost two thousand years for Arthur's return. It was all he knew, all he had been living for.

For this day.

But what he had not expected in all this was this girl who stood in front of him now. Calypso Walsh. A woman who had started as just a pawn in his game to get closer to Arthur, was much more to him now and it pained him to admit it, especially since he couldn't explore his feelings with her, he never could.

There was too much at risk, for both of them.

Merlin had to accepted his destiny long ago. He had been born to save Arthur. Even though right now he was questioning where the justice in all this was, he would do what he was born to do. Protect Arthur and see that he once again reunites both non-magical and magical people together in peace.

But the question still lingered in his mind, when was it his time to have some of his own happiness?

**oOo**

Callie's jaw dropped open.

-"What?"

-"I hoped that I would never have to tell you." Hunter said bluntly.

-"What do you mean? That I need to come with you."

-"Arthur's destiny is intertwine with yours, I didn't see it before, but I do now." Hunter paused and Callie took this time to interrupt him.

-"I don't understand ... are you saying am like a knight or something?"

-"Something like that ..." Hunter cringed out.

-"So why do I get the impression you don't like that?" She glared at him.

-"There has never been a female ... chosen before this ascension, and I do not think this is right."

Callie gaped at him.

-"You don't want me to go because I'm a girl? What kind of ass-backwards thinking is that?"

Hunter gave her an affronted look.

-"There hasn't been an ascension since Arthur's time. Things were a little different back then. I'm only trying to protect you—"

But Callie did not want to hear his excuses.

-"I'm the only one—the only girl who is one of these knights?"

Hunter ground his teeth.

-"No, we have identified others."

-"Did you tell the others?"

-"No. Not yet."

Her eyes narrowed on him.

-"Did you plan to tell the others?" Hunter's cheeks turned red as anger and guilt crept onto his face. "I don't understand, you are against this but you still told me."

-"I have known many great women, powerful women …" Hunter paused. "But you …You are too nice." He muttered.

Callie sighed with frustration. As per usual, another person in this world thought she couldn't do anything, couldn't keep it together.

-"Is this sorcerer going to stop coming after me because I'm a girl? When were you going to tell me that I was putting everyone around me in danger?" Callie took a step toward him with murderous intent.

-"I understand you need time, Callie, but we don't have much." Hunter said patronizingly calm.

He then backed up all the way to the ledge and jumped off the balcony. Callie couldn't help it. She ran to where he'd jumped off, half expecting him to be splattered on the ground, but he wasn't, he had landed nimbly on his feet. Hunter looked up, and saw Callie looking at him. He gave her grinned and to her annoyance her heart did a yo-yo. So she did the first thing that came to mind, she stuck out her hand and flipped him off.

**oOo**

The house was dark and as still as death. Everyone was asleep but Callie still lay awake, unable to find sleep, her mind racing with a million thoughts. How could any of this be possible? Her brother was actually Arthur, as in King Arthur and she was supposed to somehow protect him? She was barely holding onto the broken pieces of her life, without her mother.

But she had to face this whole other world by herself. A new world with magic and secret communities, all under everyone's noses. And she was in the middle of it all, without her best friend. The same best friend that had tried to protect her.

Callie angrily wiped the tears that had started to fall when her bedroom doorknob turned. She quickly sat up just as Hunter burst into the room. He ran towards her but stopped midstride, openly gaping at Callie.

She wore her night-clothes which were only a skimpy light rose camisole and a pair of boy shorts. One of the straps of her tank top had slid down her shoulder, exposing most of her cleavage. Callie snatched up the bed sheets and pressed them to her chest. Hunter's face turned bright red, but seemed to remember why he had come into the room in the first place.

-"They are coming."

Callie flew out of bed and rushed to the window. She threw the curtain aside and heard ... Silence. Nothing moved in the early morning light. The driveway stood completely empty.

-"I don't see anything." She frowned.

Hunter tapped his forehead.

-"I do ... I did ... I just saw it."

Callie touched the windowpane; the glass was as cold as a sheet of ice. She shivered and turned back to look at Hunter. His heated gaze fell on her and lingered. Callie shivered again, but this time it had nothing to do with the cold. Hunter abruptly turned away, only to meet her gaze through the reflection of the dresser mirror next to her bed. Light glinted off the gold-brown strands of her hair. Bits of refracted green shone from the pendant necklace she wore.

-"Your necklace is broken." He commented casually, but his voice was strained.

Callie touched the chain around her neck. She moved closer to stand behind him and look into the mirror. The emerald pendant she always wore had a deep crack through it.

-"The monster thing must have broken it during the fight." She murmured sadly at the sight of her beloved, broken necklace. Callie's fingers gently touched the crystal.

-"I have always liked on you. It compliments your eyes." Hunter said softly. "How did you get it?"

-"Stacie. After I moved in she gave it to me. She said it belonged to her step-mother; she had given it to her as a charm for good luck. She said that I needed the charm now more than her."

-"Charm huh?" Hunter grinned. "It certainly did bright you luck –."

Unable to finish, Hunter let out a small cry and clutched his forehead. His eyes pinched shut and his face twisted in pain. Callie wasted no time and rushed to his side, putting her hand on the broad expanse of his back.

-"Hunter?" She asked uncertainly.

Instantly, Hunter's face smoothed as if nothing ever happened. He shook off her hand, taking a step away from her. His eyes opened and fixed on her skimpy top. Annoyed he made a strangled sound.

-"Do you think you can put on some clothes?" He snapped.

In the mirror, Callie saw her cheeks turn bright red. Hunter looked so big and hulking behind her. His eyes were still dark with pain and… something else that she didn't quite trust herself to identify. Next to him, she looked more like a dwarf than a woman. But the intense way he stared at her reflection made Callie want less clothes on, not more, and just for a single moment, it allowed her to hold back the horrors she had faced in the last day.

Callie closed her eyes for a brief moment and soaked up the wonderful feeling. A tiny smile curved on her lips as she reopened them and went to the closet.

The custom walk-in closet Stacie and her father had built for her was no small feat in a hundred-year-old manor, but both had been adamant that she needed the space for everything. Callie eyed the shelves crammed with clothes. Callie would be the first to admit it, she had let father spoil her quite a bit, but she wasn't sure she had wanted to say no, not after wondering her whole life what it would be like to have a father. Too bad it had taken her to lose her mother to find out.

Callie grabbed a pair of corduroy trousers and a long-sleeved shirt. She pulled on the clothes and picked up some boots. She quickly dressed and as she came out of the closet, she spotted Hunter still standing the same spot.

-"What did you see?" She asked.

Hunter turned to her and a relieved expression spread across his face, but it was gone within seconds as she asked her question.

-"W-what do you mean?" He stuttered, taking aback.

Callie gave him a suspicious look. _Had he been peeking? _She wondered, by his shock expression.

-"You had a vision, didn't you?"

-"Oh, yes." He said with a quick grin. He leaned back on the dresser.

-"And you saw?" She prompted.

His expression turned serious and secretive.

-"It's better you don't know. The things I see… aren't always understandable."

-"Have you ever been wrong?"

Hunter paused at her question as if thinking about it. He then let out a chuckle.

-"Sometimes, I suppose. But visions are funny like that. Sometimes the things I see ... aren't meant to be understood or to have a right or wrong meaning, they just happen, or you make them happen with your actions."

Callie crossed to him.

-"That doesn't sound bearable, to know what the future holds ..."

He glanced at the window.

-"Sometimes it's a relief when it finally does happen. Until then, I alone have to live with it in my head." His expression became bleak. "If Morgana get what she want, Callie, if she or anyone like her get the sword… what they could do to the world is unimaginable."

Callie stilled.

-"Try me."

-"Worse than World War III. Worse than a thousand Hiroshima. It will be the end."

She blinked.

-"Even if I believe that this sword is that powerful, why would they do that? Why would anyone?"

-"They won't mean to. But it will be their fate. If they get Arthur's sword, they will have no one to guide them—"

-"Like you." She said shrewdly. "Merlin complex, much?" Callie teased.

Hunter smiled tightly.

-"I admit, I may sound a bit dramatic." Hunter grinned*.

He walked towards her in easy, long-legged stride that brought him to arm's length of her. God, he was gorgeous. All the more so up close. His lean face was sharp angles and strong bones, his black brows and lashes setting off the hypnotic blue and keen intelligence of his eyes. Wolfish eyes. A hunter's eyes, Callie realized. She felt snared in them as he came even closer.

He took her hand in his, their palms pressed together lightly as he ran his thumb over the thin skin of her wrist. His touch was warm, soothing. Achingly tender.

-"I don't want you dragged into this, Callie. There are places that you can go where you'll be safe. This is too dangerous—" His tone was soft and begging.

-"I'm not going anywhere." She said, curling her fingers around his and holding his grave gaze. "I'm not going to run. Don't ask me to, Hunter."

His jaw went tight as he stared at her. His dark brows lowered over his eyes, mouth going flat as he grimly shook his head.

-"This is my battle, Arthur's battle ... I've lost too much –." He paused and reached up, smoothing his fingers lightly over her cheek.

A new swell of emotions surged inside Callie, but unwilling to let Hunter talk her out of this, she was going with them.

-"I'm coming, Hunter." She said firmly. "Arthur is all I have left in family, and I will look after him, whether I am some sort of knight or not."

Hunter cursed harshly, but his fingers caressed her cheek softly, his gaze penetrating, the pale blue color that ringed his pupils dark with desire. He pulled her in closer but just as she thought he would kiss her a sudden loud siren started to blare through the house.

* * *

**This chapter was a bit shorter than the others but it seemed right to end there.**

**Just a quick note, please please please, if you are reading this story and are enjoying it, just add it to your favorite/follow list. This helps me out a great deal in knowing that others are coming back to read and like my work! It also helps me get more people to read and check out my work.**

**Thank you so much.**

**XxX**


	5. Chapter 5 - The Things You Love The Most

**Chapter 5**  
**The Things You Love The Most.**

Hunter and Callie ran out into the hallway just as Arthur burst out of his room wearing nothing but a grey pair of sweatpants, his blond hair stuck to one side of his face.

-"What's going on?"

Martha rushed up the stairs, still in her business suit.

-"What is happening?" She asked with a layer of panic in her voice, just as Stacie came hurrying down the hallway and everyone turned to her.

-"It's the perimeter alarm—the magical one. We've got maybe ten minutes until they reach the house."

Seconds later, Hunter's phone beeped. He pulled it out and read from the glowing screen.

-"It's a text from the other candidates. They are coming down the lane. But they are being chased by ..." Hunter paused, rereading the word. "Gargoyles." His brow furrowed for a moment. "I have seen this in my vision ... we need decoys." He looked at Stacie. "We're going to need your car."

Stacie nodded.

-"This way."

**oOo**

Martha flipped on the lights as everyone entered the long garage. In the three-car space, there stood a silver Mercedes, Stacie's car, and a nondescript SUV, the family's spare car. Stacie crossed to the closed fourth garage and pushed a button on a separating column in between. A steel partition opened. Instead of Callie and Arthur's father small import, which was with him on a business trip, was a big, black Land Rover silently waiting.

Stacie turned to Callie with a wan smile.

-"Your father and I were saving it for Christmas for you."

With a stunned gasp, Callie stared at the beautiful car.

-"I don't know what to say." In a few strides, she crossed to Stacie and hugged the taller woman close. "Thank you." She whispered.

-"At least I got a chance to show it to you." Stacie sniffed into Callie's hair. "Your father will be sad he missed your face ... A-Allison wanted to be the one to give you the keys."

Arthur had grabbed a t-shirt from the laundry pile and quickly slipped it on. He then side stepped to Stacie and grabbed the keys from her loose grasp. He tossed one of the set of keys to Hunter, except he purposely went wide; the keys flew at an odd angle, far from Hunter's grasp.

-"You can take it or the SUV. I'll go in the Mercedes." A brief wind whipped up and the keys were dragged up and dropped into Hunter's hands. "Cheater." Arthur muttered under his breath.

-"Callie is coming with me." Hunter spoke up. "She is a candidate."

Arthur balked.

-"What?"

-"What?" Stacie echoed.

Arthur paused near the Mercedes and turned his now white face towards Callie.

-"Why don't I like the sound of that ... a candidate? What the hell does that mean?" Hunter ignored Arthur's outburst and was walking to the garage door switch but like lightning Arthur ran to switch, arriving before Hunter. He stood tall and menacing, his face, glowering. "Answer me, Emrys. What the hell is going on?"

Hunter sighed exasperated.

-"We don't have time for this."

-"Then talk fast, because I get it, I have to go to protect them." Arthur pointed in the general direction of his mother. "But like hell is Callie going to put her life on the line for this."

Hunter glanced at Callie then back at Arthur.

-"A candidate is someone who shows potential at being one of Arthur's knights."

-"So you're saying, Callie is like a resurrected knight, like you think I'm Arthur?"

-"Not exactly ..." Hunter face was sullen. "The knights don't come back ... But we really need to get going now."

Arthur's jaw twitched in annoyance but he took a step to the side and let Hunter open the garage door. Outside stood a line of six black SUVs. In front of the cars, a group of about twenty or so men had gathered. Half of them looked to be boys ranging between sixteen to twenty-five years old. The other half of the group was older.

-"The other candidates." Hunter waved at them. "And their sorcerer guardians." Hunter turned to a craggy-faced older man. "Where are the other three cars?"

-"The ones from the South were … found." He said grimly.

Hunter gave a sad nod.

-"We will need to send a clean-up crew -"

-"That won't be necessary; those gargoyles left nothing to be cleaned up."

Hunter's face creased with worry.

-"I am Cole." A man in his early twenties stepped forward. He had an easy smile and tousled hair. "This is my guardian, Clarence." The older craggy-faced man nodded at them.

-"Guardian?" Callie questioned. "Aren't you a little old for that?"

Cole gave her a dazzling grin.

-"All candidates have been trained since birth by a sorcerer, we just call them Guardians."

The older man gave Cole an annoyed look for him to be quiet.

-"I'm afraid we may have been followed." The older man said with a heavy Brooklyn like accent.

-"I know. I had a vision." Hunter replied grimly.

While Hunter was going over the details of these creatures Callie's attention was drawn to Arthur. He stood as still as stone, staring off into space, his eyes were slightly glazed over and he seemed to be in another world. Concerned, Callie approached him.

-"Arthur?"

For some reason she could not explain his demeanor was scaring her. She very cautiously stepped closer and set a hand on his arm, which made him jump. He looked at Callie surprise to see her so close, but he wasted no time, he gave her a small grin and spurred into action.

-"We don't have much time. Split the candidates up between the two Jeeps in the garage and the first three of our cars. I want two guardians in each. The remaining guardians will take our other Jeeps and try to lead these gargoyles away. Save space for me in the Land Rover." He glanced at Callie and a surprised Hunter. "As well as two others."

Hunter was about to open his mouth to protest but after a moment of consideration, the plan actually made sense. He gave a curt nod approving the orders.

-"Some of the families have asked to be called that we made if to our destination." A guardian said.

-"All of the families have asked for you specifically." Clarence interjected, addressing Hunter.

He nodded.

-"Of course. I'll call them from the road—"

Suddenly it was as if all hell broke loose. One of the guardians shouted.

-"The animals in the forest are telling me there is a disturbance in the woods."

-"Get everyone in the cars." Arthur shouted.

The guardians scrambled, pushing the candidates towards the cars. One of the guardian's had tears in his eyes and gave his candidate a quick hearty pat on the back before shuffling him into a car.

-"I see four big Hummers at the top of the lane." A boy shouted.

Seconds after that warning, a bomb seemed to explode upstairs in the mansion. The old house shook down to its foundations. Boxes and sports equipment from the racks on the garage ceiling came crashing down. A box nearly hitting Martha on the head. A large crack tore through the ceiling, snapping the steel track of the bigger garage door as if it were made of twigs. The garage door started to plunge down but Hunter acted fast and stuck his hand up. The garage door magically stopped mid-fall.

Arthur stood in the middle of the showering dust and smoke, suddenly pulled Callie away from Hunter.

-"You don't have to go, Callie. This is my fight, not yours, whatever Emrys said, you can stay behind."

The whole garage shook again as another explosion sounded outside. The acrid smell of smoke burned Callie's nose as her home was slowly being destroyed.

-"I have to get upstairs." Stacie cried.

-"No." Hunter commanded. "You don't have time to get anything. We have to go _now."_

Callie looked away from Arthur and glanced at Hunter. He stood in the middle of the chaos, yelling directions at the guardians while holding up the garage ceiling. Yet despite it all, he never flinched. His expression seemed almost cold. As if managing every task at once left no room for emotion. As if sensing her gaze, Hunter turned his head and looked straight at her. Heat swirled in the faraway depths of his eyes.

Callie sucked in a breath. She forced herself to turn away, but Hunter was not done. He walked to her and Arthur.

-"Do you want to find out why this is happening to you, Callie?" She stilled as a cold sense of dread settle into her stomach.

-"What do you mean?"

Hunter's gaze became solemn.

-"Think, Callie. Your life hasn't been normal for a long time and from what I can surmise, your life hasn't been normal ever. It's because of this. Come with me and you'll see why. You'll see why you're a candidate."

Callie stared at him. It was a lure. One she wanted very much to swallow. But how could she believe him? An awful rumbling noise came from outside. Hunter cursed.

-"We have to go now, Callie. You need to decide."

Slowly, Callie found herself taking a step toward the Land Rover.

-"Callie?" Arthur said, all traces of his earlier sureness and leadership gone.

The words stuck in her throat. She watched the man who was her brother slowly slipping away and becoming someone she didn't know. She was tired of accepting fate and losing everything she cared about.

-"I have to go, Arthur. This whatever person killed Allison and because of them I am going to lose you, I can already see it, you are changing ... I can't let them win—"

Arthur blanched.

-"I'm sorry ... I keep ... I don't know ... it's like I suddenly know stuff but then it's gone ..."

-"No. Don't apologize." Callie said passionately. "You can't help it."

-"Callie, I don't know what is happening to us—"Arthur gave her a crooked smile. "I will never forget you, even if I am changing, you will always be my sister and I will protect you. We're family, Cal."

Hunter pointed to the open back door of the Land Rover.

-"Callie, Arthur, now!"

The garage shook with such noise, everyone inside the vehicles let out a small gasp or scream of fear. Stacie ran up to car. Arthur looked at her but his glare said it all, he was angry at her.

-"You should have told us the truth mother." Without another word he slipped inside the Land Rover.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she watched her son dismiss her. Callie pulled Stacie into a tight hug, which she returned promptly.

-"Take care of your brother, Callie." She whispered into her ear.

**oOo**

Hunter and the other cars pulled out of the driveway just as the four Hummers arrived. More fireballs whizzed by. There seemed to be some sort of shields on the candidates SUVs since the fireballs kept bouncing off them. Some of the guardians shot fireballs back which were causing stray sparks to bombard the mansion. The lovely old estate burned as Callie and the other cars sped around to the back of the house. Callie watched the flames slowly sweep through the place she had called home for the last year and as they sped away she felt her heart breaking at the sight.

The group drove straight into a thicket of trees and at Hunter's command, the trees parted to reveal a hidden lane.

-"The Pendragons have been prepared for this day." Hunter said.

The cluster of cars thundered into the thicket. Callie sat in the passenger seat of the Land Rover and held on as she violently bounced in her seat. She glanced behind to see the Hummers following close behind as they raced along the lane. A few minutes later, they emerged onto a two-lane road that ran behind the mansion. Hunter suddenly stopped the car with a loud tire screeched and he turned around in his seat. He stuck his hand out of the window and yelled a strange word.

_-"_W_ínbéam__."_

A blue light shot out of his hand and moments later the entire forest seemed to rise up. Trees and vines closed around the hidden lane, swallowing the four Hummers. Cole, who'd ridden along with them, whooped loudly in the backseat.

-"The spell wouldn't have worked if the path had been built differently." Hunter turned to Callie, who was watching wide-eyed as the vines knitted themselves together. "The Pendragons know how to build an escape route ..." He then pulled out his cell phone and started punching at the screen. The cell phone refused to connect. "I hate these things." He mumbled with a frustrated sigh and tried again. This time it connected. "Take the long way out of town. Morgana or whoever is behind this will send more. We want them to see you. Good luck."

Hunter switched off the phone and started to drive down the road once again. Callie turned around to watch the group of decoy cars lead away.

-"They will be safe." Hunter said with a grin. He then stuck his hand out of the window again and said. _"__Twihwyrft__". _A golden light surrounded the troop of cars and a set of phantom cars appeared behind them, looking completely identical. The ghost cars turned at a split in the road. "That should confuse them." Hunter said with a tired smile.

-"You'll tire yourself out." Clarence observed from the backseat. "We need you alert, Master Emrys."

-"Master?" Callie said with some surprise. Hunter blushed.

-"It's a title they insist on calling me."

-"Nonsense. It is well earned." Clarence continued.

Arthur let out a small growl from the back seat.

-"Why does it seem like you know more about my family then I do? This is bullshit. Master Emrys ... give me a break." Arthur crossed his arms over his chest and sank deeper into his seat.

But Hunter didn't fall for the bait and concentrated on driving. Callie remained quiet, watching their home slowly burn through the side mirror grow smaller and smaller. Tears stained her face and she tried to quickly wipe them away before anyone would notice. All of a sudden Hunter halted the car, behind them, the convey all screeched to a halt.

-"Hunter?" Callie squeaked out, trying to mask the fact that she was crying.

Hunter opened the door and jump out. He stuck his hand out and closed his eyes for a moment, when he reopened them they were bright amber and a gray cloud had started to swirl above them.

-"No." Clarence said urgently. "We don't have time for this!"

But Hunter ignored the old man and he muttered the words.

_-"__Hréohnes__"_

Above the clouds became bigger and bigger until it reached the mansion. The sky thundered in warning and the rain started to fall. On the edge of the horizon, Callie noticed the red outline of flames above their home dissolve quickly under the watery onslaught of the down pour. Hunter stumbled back to the car and sat down. Callie grabbed Hunter's hand and squeezed it tight. With a tired smile, Hunter slumped in his seat. He blinked as if he were fighting sleep.

-"That was foolish of you!" Clarence bit out.

-"Why what is wrong with him?" Callie asked panicked.

-"He used up to much powerful magic. Even someone as powerful as he don't have an endless supply."

-"I think you're going to need to drive, Callie." Hunter said ignoring Clarence. He then pointed to a sign on the road for the highway. Underneath it was a direction marker for Boston. "We have a flight in a few hours in Boston."

-"We're going to London?" Cole said, clearly excited.

-"No, we're going to my home. To Glastonbury. The Council has a stronghold in the countryside." Hunter yawned and shut his eyes. "We will be safe there."

**oOo**

All three vehicles had split up on the highway. One team had driven to New York and had a flight to Manchester while the other had stopped in Philadelphia where their flight had not left until the next morning and they then flew to Scotland. But somehow Callie's group had gotten a direct flight to London.

They had hurried through the reservation desk and security thanks to Hunter's high clearance level. It had all went by in a blur and they were all soon in line to board the plane. Callie stood in front of Arthur.

-"Want to trade seats with me?" Arthur asked.

-"I guess." Callie said, glancing down at her ticket. She had an aisle seat. 21C. She glanced at Arthur's ticket number.

-"You have a middle seat!"

-"Your legs are shorter than mine." He defended.

Callie scowled at him and shook her head no, she didn't want to be stuck in the middle of two strangers for six hours. The line slowly moved and the group moved up into the first class cabin. Hunter was already seated, lounging in a window seat a few rows down.

-"Comfy?" Arthur asked him, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

Hunter waved his hand and Arthur's ticket fluttered in his hand.

-"Don't say I never did anything for you, Pendragon."

Arthur looked down at his ticket.

-"I'm in 21C."

-"Hey!" Callie looked at her ticket which now read 3B. The seat just happened to be the empty one next to Hunter. Pushing past Arthur, Callie dropped into the spacious seat. "Nice. We have our own TVs." She grinned. Arthur gaped at her in disbelief. A few people behind him had started to grumbled as he was blocking the line. With a grimace, he walked into Coach. Once he was out of sight, Callie turned to Hunter. "You just can't stop yourself from needling him, can you?"

-"He thinks he knows everything." Hunter said.

-"I don't know anyone else like that." Callie said with a small smirk but Hunter didn't respond. He started rifling through his seat pouch. "What are you doing?" She asked settled into her cushy seat. Hunter pulled out a sick bag.

-"Looking for this. Prepare yourself. I've gotten sick on every takeoff."

The flight attendant came up to Callie and Hunter. She smiled at Hunter and completely ignored Callie.

-"Do you need anything?"

-"Is it too early for a drink?" He smiled. "I'm afraid I'm a bit of nervous flyer."

The flight attendant made a sympathetic noise, but shook her head.

-"We're not supposed to before the flight—"

Hunter held out his jacket as if he was handing it to her to put up, their hands brushed as he handed her the jacket. Callie saw Hunter's eyes briefly flicker to amber and back to its natural blue. The stewardess pupils dilated.

-"Just a small pint of ale would be a great help." Hunter said calmly.

She let out a high-pitch giggle.

-"I'll bring it right away." Annoyed, Callie thrust her jacket under the woman's nose. She took it with a happy smile. "Anything else for you, sweetie?"

-"No." Callie elbowed Hunter after she hurried away. "What did you do to her?"

-"Just a small energy spark. It acts like an adrenaline boost. She'll be really happy for a few hours, that's all."

-"Use that trick on girls often?" Callie said crossly.

-"She's not my sort." Hunter replied.

-"What is your sort?" Callie asked, unable to resist.

His eyes traveled over her face.

-"Someone with a little mystery."

Callie was saved from answering when the flight attendant appeared with Hunter's beer. He gulped it down in two swallows and held the can back out to the flight attendant. She blinked in surprise, but hurried off when the pilot's warning for takeoff came on. Hunter tugged on the collar of his tight white T-shirt.

-"This thing is a steel beast and we're trapped inside its belly—"

-"It's going to be okay."

His face twisted into a scowl.

-"Do you have any idea how little control we have up here? Anything goes wrong and we've got no recourse. This mode of travel is complete insanity." He grounded his teeth. "I've flown bloody dragons and slain unimaginable beasts, but this thing ... I hate it ..."

Callie bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

-"Does the big bad magician not like planes?"

-"I am a sorcerer." He muttered. "Magicians do parlor tricks."

-"Wasn't Merlin a magician?" Callie looked out the window, watching the plane roll down the runway.

-"No, of course not! It was a stupid word that somehow got associated with real magic. It's completely insulting."

Callie raised a brow.

-"Feel strongly about it?"

Hunter grunted and glanced out the window—which was a mistake. The plane taxied down the runway and jerked to a stop as it reached the takeoff line. Hunter's shoulders tensed so much that Callie wondered if his bones would crack. Unconsciously she laid a hand on his bicep, which caused him to jump, clearly startled. Callie moved to pull it back, but he laid his other hand over hers. She suddenly felt this warm feeling spread through her entire body.

-"Merlin the Magician sounds better." Callie teased and tried not to wince when Hunter's grip on her hand tightened. "Tell me more about Merlin." She asked trying to distract him from the flight.

But Hunter didn't seem to want to talk about Merlin. He shrugged.

-"Not much more to tell than what you already know."

-"Most of what I thought I knew about this world seems to be wrong." Callie retorted. "What's the real story? I mean, Merlin was supposed to be King Arthur's mentor. He was a his council wasn't he? But then, he let Arthur screw it all up."

-"He didn't let Arthur screw it all up, as you put it. Camelot just wasn't filled with all that ridiculous romance and idealism they have in the movies. These were real people. Arthur made mistakes ... like we all do."

-"Was it because Merlin abandoned him at Camlann?"

Hunter stiffened.

-"Merlin did not abandoned him ... He just didn't see that friends who were close to him meant to harm Arthur." The plane jerked again as they started the run to take off. "In the end Merlin came ... But he was too late."

-"What do you mean?"

-"Arthur didn't know Merlin had magic until it was too late for him."

The plane rose. Gravity pressed down on them. Hunter paled, his face turning a sickly, almost green color.

"So Merlin was a coward and hid who really was?"

Hunter made a noise of dissent.

-"It's not that simple. Arthur was raised by Uther, a man who despised nothing more than magic. Arthur was much more tolerant than his father ... but he had been hurt by people with magic to many times, he was cautious ..."

-"Merlin and Arthur were friends?"

-"Closer then friends ... more like brothers." Hunter's face softened for a moment. "Until Mordred ... The druid boy who Merlin spared to many times. Arthur saw the good in Mordred and made him a knight, and he was an excellent knight ... but he couldn't be trusted."

-"I don't see how one simple man can turn everything upside down." Callie scoffed.

-"Mordred was a spineless coward." Hunter spat.

Callie arched a brow.

-"Pretty heavy accusation, isn't it?"

Hunter gave her a murderous look.

-"No, it's not. You weren't there."

-"Neither were you." Callie countered.

Hunter paled as the plane picked up speed and shuddered from turbulence. Callie quickly tried to think of something else to get his mind off the flight.

-"What did you see in your vision about me?" She asked but when Hunter didn't reply and showed no interest in answering, she got the evil idea of getting the information out of him. "Did you notice how fast the pilots are pushing the plane? I've heard the faster the plane goes, the more turbulence it causes. I wonder if they're having trouble keeping the nose up—"

-"Be quiet, Callie." Hunter grounded out through clenched teeth.

-"Tell me what you saw."

-"Gods, you can be frustrating!"

-"Tenacious." She corrected cockily.

-"Annoying."

Callie narrowed my eyes.

-"When the plane shakes, it seems like it's going to tear itself apart—" She started mildly.

Hunter growled in frustration.

-"I saw you and Xavier, my brother. You and he were… kissing."

Callie's jaw dropped and the plane made one final push and leveled out.

-"We're up." Callie said numbly.

Hunter sat back with a sigh. Callie extracted her hand from his grip and took the sick bag from him. She put it back into the pouch.

-"You didn't need this."

His eyes widened in surprise.

-"No, no I didn't ..."

They fell in an awkward silence that was making Callie uncomfortable so she quickly fished out her IPod and headphones, but as she unraveled them Hunter exhaled loudly.

-"Not you, too. What is with everyone and their gadgets?"

-"Are you sure you were born in this century?" Callie asked, popping in her headphones into her ears.

Hunter's cheeks flushed.

-"Quite."

-"Quite." Callie mimicked teasingly.

With a half-smile, Hunter settled back into his seat and looked out the window. Callie followed his gaze. Outside, the bright sky was quickly changing over to dark. Hunter's brow furrowed and a faraway expression took over his chiseled face. Callie stomped down on the impulse to touch him again, just to make sure he was really real. Really there beside her. She still had the feeling she was going to wake up any second back in her bed, back at the mansion. Everything would be back to what they had been before yesterday. Allison would have slept just down the hall. Callie shook her head, this was real, and this was her new reality.

Callie kept her gaze on Hunter as she recalled their earlier conversation.

-"Wait, you do have a brother?"

* * *

**A/N:**

**Thank you for the reviews and reads! Please don't forget to follow/favorite this story to know when I update! It also lets me know that others are reading :)**


	6. Chapter 6 - Brothers

**Chapter 6**  
**Brothers**

The trip had been long and thankfully almost over. Merlin was almost back where it all started. Back in Camelot. Or what was left of it anyway. The old castle and its surrounding village had disappeared and crumbled into the ground long ago. But the site was now where the council resided. It seemed like the best place since that was where it had all began for him.

Merlin glanced at Arthur as they got off the plane. The resemblance was uncanny. He was his old friend's twin. Although doppelgänger was probably a better word. But the question still remained, how much was he like Arthur? Merlin hoped that he was just as loyal and brave, because they really needed him right now.

His glance darted to the short girl sporting the same color hair as Arthur but was a good foot shorter than him. Callie was still a mystery in all this and that was starting to make him nervous.

Around five hundred years ago Merlin acquired the gift of foresight. It was not a gift he wanted. But it had been forced on him thanks to his brother ... Xavier. The same man he saw kissing Callie. The only vision he had of her. Merlin knew Callie was important in all this, he could feel it. But he couldn't see it. In fact being around her seemed to block some of the visions he had.

The night he had rushed into her room and a new vision had started, she had put her hand on his shoulder and the vision had stopped. That had never happened to him, and he was starting to wonder what sort of power the girl was hiding.

* * *

Except for Hunter, whose pallor resembled that of a ghost, the flight went smoothly for everyone. The group landed in the midmorning at Gatwick Airport. Callie had no idea where they were going and frankly she was too exhausted to ask or care. The guardians had taken care of everything and all Callie and the others had to do was follow.

An hour-long train ride took everyone into town, where they got off at Victoria Station inside the London Underground, a cavernous maze of subways that the locals called the Tube. After a dizzying number of escalators and several train changes, they had made it out of the Underground and Callie found herself staring out at the English countryside from a fast train. When they reached the Castle Cary train station everyone was finally able to get off.

Most of the gang was ready to collapse.

Callie glanced at her watch which she had switched time. It read ten a.m. in New Hampshire. They had been traveling for almost thirty-six hours and she was about ready to collapse. Several cars were waiting for them outside the station. At the sight of them, Arthur let out a groan.

-"How much longer?"

-"It's another ten miles to Glastonbury. The place we're going to is on the far side, so another few miles after that." Hunter reassured. "Don't worry. This ordeal is almost over."

Hunter energetically grabbed his bag and walked to the first van in the line of five. We trudged after him.

-"The things I would for a shower might be illegal in this country." Callie murmured.

Excitement gleamed in another of the boys traveling with us. Adam was a candidate from Virginia.

-"This is so amazing. Hunter told me we're going someplace where they do nothing but magic."

-"Except we can't do magic." Arthur reminded him.

-"How is this even going to work?" Callie asked. "Do they know we're coming? We aren't magical people."

-"Hunter has the final say with The Council and we're here with him." Adam replied.

Callie felt her annoyance that everyone seemed to know more about this secret world then she did. She also didn't miss how Hunter's cheeks flushed red. She knew that look. He was keeping something from her. A curl of unease tightened inside of her.

-"Hunter, what's going on?"

-"Don't worry. Everyone is expecting us." Hunter dismissed.

He ushered Arthur and Callie into the first van. She really wanted to pester him more, but she was just too exhausted. Callie got into the van without protest but she would quiz him later. The van itself was tiny—not exactly the giant SUVs that were driven back America. Hunter sat beside Callie. Hunter looked so much better. The white-knuckled flyer had vanished the instant he had landed and the farther out into the country the car drove, the more relaxed he seemed.

But as Hunter was feeling better, Callie was feeling worse. Her head bobbed as the van ambled over seemingly endless rolling hills. The one-lane road they drove on seemed like it was the only sign of civilization. Callie tried to stifle a yawned. She wanted nothing more than to rest my head against Hunter's shoulder, but it seemed weird after what he'd told her about his brother. Not that she had done anything, but for some odd reason she still felt guilty.

She had not really asked him much about the vision since the plane ride. Frankly she was still skeptical of the whole thing. She had seen so many amazing and impossible things. From conjured creatures to Hunter conjuring up a storm. But her mind was still playing catch up and she really did not believe that someone could see the future so clearly.

Callie yawned again.

-"We're almost there, Callie." Hunter said without turning his head.

Her cheeks heated feeling annoyed that his answer seemed almost like something a parent would say to an impatient child. The group passed a sign for Glastonbury.

-"Why is the sword here?" Callie asked.

We went up a small hill. In the distance, a small town lay nestled in a valley. Above the town on a triangular terraced hill, a tall tower sat like a beacon that could be seen for miles.

-"Glastonbury Tor. It's a ruined church. Two thousand years ago, the sea washed right up to the hills, making the hill an island. Some say that Glastonbury is where sea met the land and became the meeting place of the dead, the ancient Isle of Avalon, where magic was born," Hunter answered.

-"Is this place protected? Will the people who are after us know about it?"

-"The Council has kept it hidden for centuries from regular people. At one time, the Druids controlled this land. But Uther took control of it, and it then became Arthur's." Hunter's gazed out over the town. "They say Guinevere is buried at Glastonbury Abbey. The ruins of the abbey still remain inside the town."

-"How is it protected?" Arthur asked with a certain steel to his voice. "Because this sorcerer after us is magical, I am sure they can get in."

-"There is a shield over the stronghold. Any supernatural creature not specifically invited is restricted from entering. An ordinary passerby would just see humdrum little buildings."

The van bypassed the town though. The village itself looked extremely crowded with cars and buses parked miles outside of the town. People walking towards the center, all in hopes of seeing the infamous sword. The van turned off a small side road and drove for several miles.

Somewhere off in the outskirts, a dilapidated brick estate stood in the middle of grey fields. A stone wall surrounded it. The van stopped at its iron gates, but the buildings inside the gates was hardly impressive. Two small houses stood each were two stories tall and not very wide. The houses were connected by a small archway. It was… quaint.

But it did not have the appearance of a place that could house more than twenty people. The driver got out of the van and went up to the gate. He shouted something and a sudden harsh wind burst through the air, and the gates opened. The driver jumped back in the van. As the van crossed the archway, Callie noticed a small wooden plaque next to the gate.

The carved in sign stated, "Avalon Academy." The van followed the driveway up to the closes of the twin buildings. The driver stopped the van just before large double doors.

-"Everyone out," Hunter called suddenly sounding impatient.

Everyone emerged hesitantly. All of the candidates wore befuddled looks on their faces as they took in the nondescript manor. Hunter and one of the guardians went up to the double doors. The center of the wood door has an intricate carving of three semi-circles almost twisting around each other.

-"It's the druid symbol," Hunter explained. "For magic."

Without having to knock, the doors opened and a svelte woman with straight, dark hair and long legs stepped out. Her gauzy, moss-colored dress flowed around her like a soft cloud. Her eyes passed over the in a single sweep before coming to rest on Hunter. She smiled—a luminous smile that made her whole face glow and made its recipient want to bask in its glory. The sweetness of it almost made Callie's teeth hurt. She held out her hands to Hunter.

-"We are so glad you are back. It has been too long." Hunter clasped her hand briefly.

-"Erin, it is good to be back. Is the Council ready?"

The smile on her face dimmed just a bit at Hunter's hasty greeting, but she cheerfully quickly replied cheerfully.

-"We are ready. When you sent the list of all who were coming, I was stunned. I couldn't believe you found him. We have been searching for years ..." Her eyes move over to the crowd of candidates in hopes of seeing _him._

Callie was positive she was talking about Arthur.

-"You could say I have a certain gift for finding people." Hunter said dryly.

Erin giggled as if he'd made some hilarious comment, but Hunter ignored her and glanced at Callie.

-"But even I can still be surprised at times ... I found someone rather unexpected."

Erin frowned at his intent expression. She followed his gaze to Callie and her smile faltered. Suddenly all traces of friendless from her disappeared as she turned to the group.

-"Please, candidates, follow me." She disappeared back into the manor.

Hunter took a step after her.

-"Hunter." Callie stopped him. "Where are we?"

Hunter flashed his white teeth. He made a sweeping gesture to usher everyone into the house.

-"Welcome to Avalon Academy. We are what remain of Camelot. This is a special school, one where we train sorcerers and now knights."

**oOo**

Callie and Arthur entered into a huge lobby, which was rather bare except for a set of stairs at the end of the room. The entire room was dark wood. From its dark gleaming floors to the walls and impressive ceiling. A glass door stood near the stairs, yet the light didn't reach far inside the entrance, giving it a dark gloom feeling to it.

Erin led the group to a small bar, the only other piece of furniture in the foyer. Behind the bar were rows of square boxes which all held papers like some old-fashioned hotel.

Callie stared a bit surprised. She was at a magic school ... as in Harry Potter type school. She wondered briefly if they had a giant as their grounds keeper and if she would send letters by owl. But this was nothing like the fantasy books she had read. This was so ... ordinary. No magical imps walking around, no goblins hopping about and no impressive castle. Not even the Camelot that you read in the fairy tales.

-"Welcome to our admissions area. This building holds the administration. It used to be an inn," Erin said. "The second building holds more offices. The school is actually past those glass doors." She pointed to end of the foyer. Erin pushed a button on the bar and a flat-panel computer screen rose out of the counter. "Now let us confirm that I have your names in the system. We need to ensure your records are in order so you may enter our academy."

She took out a large cardboard box from behind the bar.

-"But before we begin, I must ask you to turn over any electronic devices you may have brought. No cell phones, no music players, no tablets, nothing from the outside will be allowed. You will be provided with everything you need."

After the moans and groans from everyone, the box was soon filled with electronics. Erin gave the group a large smile.

-"Good." She nodded. "Let us begin." She started rattling off names. Everyone gave a quick nod or raised their hands when their name was called. When she came to the end of list, she nodded again. "Good. Nothing is out of order, and most of you are aware of what goes on here, and you all have led rather average lives so far."

Cole stepped forward.

-"What about me?"

Erin raised a brow and clicked a few buttons on the keyboard.

-"Cole Mason. You certainly have an interesting history."

-"A life that is now in the past. Here and now is what matters. The future hinges on you, all of you. The past no longer applies," Hunter interrupted.

A clapping sound came from the other end of the lobby.

-"Nice speech, brother. Shall we test whether you really mean it?" A voice drawled.

A man walked down the stairs into the lobby. Callie did a double take. It was the history professor from the news, Dr. Ambrosia.

-"Xavier," Hunter muttered.

Xavier hooked his thumbs in tight jeans. His face was eerily similar to Hunter's. His hair groomed back and unlike Hunter his hair was a dark auburn and not black. He was lean, but well-built. His hazel-brown eyes sparkled with brilliance but Callie didn't have time to notice anything else. A blue fireball shot through the air at Xavier. The fireball had come from Hunter. Xavier laughed and threw it back at his brother. Hunter volleyed the ball back again and added a second one. Then, he added a third and a fourth, creating a barrage of fireballs, but Xavier simply halted them in the air, one by one, with a bored look at his face.

He then pulled them into one big fireball and with a giant grin he threw the fireball back at Hunter. Someone let out a small yelp as the blue fireball whizzed by him, scorching a few of their strands of hair. The bitter smell of burnt hair filled the room. Everyone took several steps back from the fireball battle.

Unfazed by the scent of burnt hair or the panic of the group, Hunter halted the giant fireball before it reached him. He hurled it back across the room with enough force to make the walls tremble.

-"Enough!" A loud voice shouted.

A group of much older men and women entered the room through the side door. One man with a short, white beard glared at both Hunter and Xavier. The giant fireball suddenly stilled at the center of the room and shrank into nothing. Hunter immediately created another one. He didn't throw it, but held it ready. Xavier copied him.

-"Alaric, why is my brother here?" Hunter demanded.

-"Master Xavier is here for the same reason as you. He has brought candidates."

-"Master of what, showoffness?" Arthur snickered quietly from behind Callie.

Xavier's sharp eyes went straight to them. He blinked in surprise and… recognition when his eyes landed on Callie. For some reason, she tensed. His gaze passed over her and she relaxed. Xavier then turned back to the men and women in the long white robes. They had all moved to stand a semicircle. Callie was rather sure this was the infamous Council.

-"Do you know who he is?" Hunter demanded. "He's a murderer."

-"Is that any way to talk about family? I know you are a tiny bit upset with me—"

-"You tried to kill me!" Hunter exploded.

-"Yet you are not dead." Xavier shrugged carelessly. "Hence, no murder."

-"No thanks to you," Hunter growled. "You entombed us in a cave!" Xavier crossed his arms across his chest looking bored. "And when you got out, you left me trapped." Hunter ground his teeth.

-"How did you get out?" Xavier smirked.

-"I managed, as I always do… by myself. But that is all in the past, as you said."

Xavier's eyes roved over the candidates standing behind Hunter. A slight sneer curled his lips.

-"So what do we have here? These are your mighty set of non-magical candidates?" He eyed some of the people in the group in ratty jeans and travel-worn T-shirts. "Wherever did you pull together this ragtag pack? I say we send them all back home—for their own safety. My new sorcerers are the only ones we need."

As if on cue, seven new people came downstairs to gather behind Xavier in pack formation. Boys in tough street wear and one girl with bright red dyed hair. A large brutish boy—obviously the leader—stood in front of the rest. The girl stood beside him. Xavier strolled in front of Alaric and faced the council. His boots steps echoing through the room.

-"Merlin helped Arthur take the sword. Like you are proposing to do with this group ... the supposed returned King and his knights. Arthur always had a sorcerer by his side, yet he still betrayed our kind." Xavier turned to Hunter and gave him a look of distaste. "Arthur did nothing but pursue our kind, just as his father did." Xavier ranted. "He even turned his back on Merlin when he learned the truth."

"We have been blamed for the problems of the world when Camelot stood. Arthur and his knights drove us from our homes and killed the peaceful druids. But this supposed returned King knows nothing, and this is now our time! We should learn from the past. Sorcerers are far superior than any non-magical person."

Hunter snorted.

-"You were never tolerant."

-"And you are too tolerant. Even after all they've done, I wager you'd still rather talk to Morgana then to—"

-"I know in the past -" Hunter protested but Xavier gave him not time to speak.

-"What happens when Arthur gets the sword? No one can resist the temptation to use its power. What happens when he turns the sword back on us? Non-magical people are too easy to corrupt. At least we can trust our own kind—"

-"Please." Alaric raised a hand. Quiet fell over the room. "Xavier, we realize you have a point."

-"What?" Hunter shouted in disbelief.

-"That is why we have devised an admissions test. All of the candidates—the sorcerers and the non-magical ones. This will prove to us and to themselves that they are truly worthy of being here. We have gathered water from the Lake of the Lady."

Hunter made a sound of disgruntlement.

-"Arthur and his candidates do not need to take a test. I have seen them. Or are you questioning my visions now?"

Some of the council members started to murmur with each other, but Alaric held up his hand.

-"No, indeed, you know we trust you." Alaric said with a slight wince.

-"My candidates will happily take the tests," Xavier said. "We are not afraid."

-"Neither are we." Arthur exclaimed loudly.

Xavier smiled in satisfaction.

-"Let me talk with them," Hunter dismissed Alaric abruptly.

Alaric nodded. Hunter drew the group to a corner of the room.

-"What is the test?" someone said.

-"I'm not ready to take any test," Cole said anxiously.

-"I thought we came here to get ready for whatever this new threat was." Callie said.

Hunter looked over the group.

-"You are all supposed to be here."

-"What are we supposed to do with this water?" Callie asked anxiously.

-"You've all heard of the Lady of the Lake. In Arthur's time, she was very special to Merlin; she kept the sword safe for him. But several hundred years later we found out that the lake has special properties. If you take a drink, you will see. That is all you will have to do. Take a drink. Tell us what you see."

Cole nodded earnestly.

-"That's it?"

-"What if we don't see anything?" Callie asked.

-"If you don't then you are not meant to protect Arthur."

Arthur crossed his arms across his chest.

-"Let me get this straight. You brought us all here to train us, but the Council wants us to prove that we actually _worthy_ of this training so we can fight for something I really don't care about? If we don't see anything, then… what?"

-"I don't know," Hunter admitted.

Arthur snorted.

-"Am I the only one who has a bad feeling about this?"

-"No," Callie said. "What aren't you telling us, Hunter?"

-"Hunter, is that what you have them calling you these days?" Xavier laughed from behind Hunter.

-"What is he talking about Hunter? We deserve to know the truth!" Callie glared.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Thank you for reading. Please follow/favorite to let me know someone is reading this, a quick comment would be helpful too! Thank you again!**


	7. Chapter 7 - The Painful Truth

**CHAPTER 7**  
**The Painful Truth**

-"You are all candidates," Hunter repeated. "You will not have a problem. Believe me." Hunter answered, ignoring Xavier and Callie's questions about his identity.

-"Those gargoyles came after my whole family," Cole said grimly. "They put my brother in a hospital. They didn't do that without reason. I believe Master Emrys."

Xavier let out a loud yawn.

-"Should we order a bite to eat while you all stall?" He said bored.

Callie's eyes narrowed on him.

-"I'll take the test just to shut him up." She muttered.

The tension on all the candidates faces around Callie relaxed.

-"So will I," Cole said with a laugh.

The others echoed the agreement. Hunter took this chance to look at Alaric and nodded.

-"Thornton, please bring out the water," Alaric commanded.

A pedestal holding a plain glass bowl was brought forward. Thornton picked up an urn and poured a bit of ordinary-looking water into the bowl. Light from an overhead chandelier reflected off the water's surface. Callie could have sworn she saw a faint blue shimmer.

-"Who will go first?" Alaric asked.

-"We will," Xavier said firmly, his candidates shadowed behind him. Xavier gave a curt nodded at a brutish boy who stood in front of the pack. "Matthew, step up to the water." He barked roughly.

Matthew strode to the pedestal. He cupped his hands together while Thornton prompted him to move his hands over the bowl. Matthew complied and Thornton poured water into his hands. Matthew loudly slurped it up.

Everyone stilled, all of them staring in apprehension and anticipation, but nothing happened for several seconds. When suddenly, Matthew let out a small grunt. He sank to his knees and started dry heaving. Callie found herself taking a step toward the pedestal to help him.

-"Do not disturb him," Alaric warned Callie sternly.

Callie stopped and Hunter moved to stand beside her.

-"Look at the bowl." The water in the bowl shimmered brighter and brighter, until images started to flash through the water. Matthew was dueled with Xavier in the images. The image changed and showed Xavier winning and Matthew falling to the ground. "The water shows the past," Hunter explained. "In this case, they've linked it to the one who drinks the water."

-"How is that possible?" Arthur asked from behind us.

-"Magic." Xavier said with a sardonic look.

Callie leaned closer to Hunter.

-"Why is it showing a battle though?"

-"It must be the most significant event on his mind. It's different for everyone." Hunter said in a low voice. His breath tickling Callie's skin.

On the floor, Matthew shuddered off the last effects of the water. Thornton set down the urn and helped him up.

-"Well done, son," Alaric boomed happily. "If the water shows us the past, the person is a candidate." He gestured to Matthew to go with Erin, who stood near the door. "Please report to admissions. She will give you a schedule and assign you to a room. Welcome to the Avalon Academy."

The brutish boy tried to retain a tough demeanor, but he moved rather sluggishly on this walk to Erin. The rest of Xavier's candidates glanced at each other with worried looks. The arrogance suddenly vanished from the group.

-"No pain, no gain." Xavier crooked his finger at the lone girl of the group. "You're next."

She chewed her lip and hesitated, but Xavier approached her with looming terror. He whispered in her ear and whatever he said was enough to make her march to the pedestal. Her short, red hair swung around her face but did nothing to hide the fear in her eyes. Xavier watched her go with a disinterested expression.

Alaric signaled to Thornton to proceed. The girl cupped her hands, grabbing some of the water and swallowed it quickly.

A moment later, she let out a loud scream and fell to her knees. Her whole body shook as she seizure on the ground. The water in the bowl shifted, showing brutal images. A woman, an older version of the girl, probably her mother, hit a younger version of the girl on the ground that sported long brown hair, over and over again. Everyone watched the beating in horror. The poor candidate started to cry. Callie had to look away, while Arthur let out a low growl.

-"Hunter," Callie moaned softly. "Stop this."

Hunter raised his hand and the water in the pedestal sloshed, breaking the stream of images. He rushed to the girl and offered her a hand up, but the girl ignored it and got up angrily.

-"You shouldn't have interrupted the test." Her hands fisted tightly as she looked at Alaric. "Did I pass?"

Alaric nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable.

-"Yes, please see Miss Erin."

Xavier signaled another candidate to come forward, seeming unfazed by the events that everyone had just witnessed. A young boy stepped forward. He barely looked to be more than fifteen. He walked bravely to the pedestal and without flinching he watched Thornton poured water into his waiting hands. The boy swallowed and waited, but nothing happened. The bowl on the pedestal remained still.

-"Give him more," Xavier ordered.

Thornton looked at Alaric unsure, but the council member nodded his head in agreement. Thornton complied and the boy drank a second helping but still nothing happened.

-"He is not a candidate," Alaric declared sadly.

The boy went pale.

-"No. I can't go home. My house was burnt down by those sorcerers. My grandmother is gone. I don't have anywhere to go!" He cried, all his earlier gusto gone. His eyes sought out Xavier. "You said this is where I belonged."

Xavier sighed and gave the boy an uninterested glance.

-"You are not a candidate and your magic is too weak to count at all. You will be fine." He dismissed. "Can we continue?" He looked at Alaric, unconcerned with the boy.

-"You do belong here," Hunter suddenly said, taking a step forward. "You are a sorcerer. You can stay here."

-"Yes, he is eligible. But we are not a charity. The people who are here and are not candidate have spent a small fortune to attend this establishment. He would also need a sponsor." Alaric answered with the same lack of sympathy as Xavier.

-"Well I have no doubt that Xavier would love to help," Hunter said. His eyes locking on his brother. "Unless you want to turn the boy loose with the knowledge of the candidates and this school."

-"I have the perfect forgetfulness spell," Xavier shrugged.

Hunter let out a sigh of frustration and shook his head.

-"Unbelievable. You know as well as I do, that after how long the boy has been with you, the amount of memory you would have to modify ..." Hunter paused trying to gather his angry thoughts. "You would turn him as dumb as a turnip."

Alaric looked to Xavier.

-"Xavier, he is your responsibility." The elder warned.

Xavier crossed his arms and glared at the councilman.

-"The Council rejected him. He is also your responsibility. I will sponsor him and pay for the admissions test. That is all. He can work off the rest."

-"Erin," Alaric sighed, "come take this boy for a regular magical enrollment."

The boy gave Xavier a grateful smile.

-"I knew you wouldn't let me down, thank you."

Xavier inclined his head and gave him a curt nod. Once the boy was out of the room, he signaled to the next candidate to step up to the pedestal.

-"Your brother is a toad. I wouldn't kiss him even if he were to turn into a prince." Callie whispered to Hunter, referring to his vision he had about her and Xavier kissing.

-"He's more than that Callie, he's dangerous," Hunter replied without humor. "Hunter is like a tornado. He doesn't care what he wrecks in his path. He only cares about what he wants and what he can get out of someone."

Callie raised a brow.

-"Dramatic much?"

-"I wish I was being."

The last of Xavier's candidates went to the pedestal. As Callie watched the bowl and a new series of images appear, she pondered on Hunter and Xavier. The brothers had serious family issues. She had known Hunter for some time and she had never seen him so wound up and angry.

Alaric broke her thoughts.

-"Is your group ready?" He asked Hunter.

Callie felt her stomach tighten in a giant knot. Arthur caught her gaze and came up beside her. Taking her hand in his, he gave it a comforting squeeze but it did little to calm her fear. What horrible things would the water show for them? Callie tried to take a calming breath.

-"Will the water be the same for us non-magical as it was for the sorcerer candidates?"

-"It should be," Hunter said grimly. "But I couldn't say for sure."

-"That's really helpful," Callie said dryly as she took a step forward.

But Arthur pulled her back and took a stepped in front of her.

-"I'll go first."

-"You're sure?" Hunter asked a bit surprised.

He nodded and without a trace of hesitation he marched to the pedestal and put his hand out for Thornton to pour water in. He gave Callie a glance with his clear blue eyes; never breaking contact he downed the water in one quick gulp.

The next thing he knew he was on the ground, on all fours. A pitiful groaned escaped his lips as his head hung limply. It almost looked like he was ready to vomit but to everyone's shock; Arthur put a shaky leg up and lifted his body up to the pedestal.

-"I want to see ..." He croaked out.

His face was pale and covered in sweat, his eyes fixed on the water, waiting for the images to appear.

What appeared was like nothing anyone had seen in centuries. Arthur stood tall and proud in full shiny armor. Like now, his face was covered in sweat but he was also dirty with mud and what appeared to be blood. He lifted his sword and with a bellow he lets out a battle cry. Arthur ran into a mob of enemies, all hacking and slashing at him, but with impressive dexterity and agility he avoided all the blows and hacks.

The images flicker to another scene, where Arthur was on the same battlefield but this time a single man stood in front of him and with one swift motion he stabbed Arthur in the chest. Arthur fell to his knees just as the water went blank.

The room was still and motionless.

Arthur wavered on his knees and fainted. Hunter and Callie rushed to his side.

-"Arthur?" Callie dropped to her knees next to him and smoothed the hairs from his forehead. She glanced up at Hunter who didn't look much better than Arthur. "Is he alright?" She asked.

Hunter swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple bobbed several times before he gave a nod.

-"Yeah ... he should be fine ... it's because he saw very old memories ... his body was overwhelmed."

-"What was it that he saw; none of it looked familiar to me?" Callie asked curiously as Alaric came beside them.

-"He witnessed what killed him in his last life." Hunter said somberly, before standing up and letting Alaric and another man carry Arthur out of the room to get some fresh air until he woke up.

Callie watched Arthur being carried out, and with a new fear blooming inside her she stood and headed to the pedestal.

-"I'll go next." She heard herself say.

-"You don't have too ... " Hunter said reaching for her hand before she got to the pedestal.

Callie took his hand and gave his it a squeeze.

-"It's okay ..." She said softly and finished her walk to the pedestal.

She glanced around the room and her gaze collided with Xavier's. He had watched Hunter and Callie with a new-found interest. She quickly glanced away as Thornton poured a few drops of water into her cupped hands. She hoped no one noticed how hard they trembled.

She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of an earthy mixed with calming lavender. The liquid tasted cool and sweet. She drank it in one swallow, and felt it slide down into her belly. Moments later, she was on the floor. It felt as though her stomach was trying to climb out of her mouth. Black spots danced in her vision. The urge to collapse was overwhelming.

Callie felt herself heave, but she fought it.

Then as if the water was traveling through her body she felt something in her head being pried open. The water tore down old barriers in her mind, exposing all the darkest, deepest secret and memories long forgotten.

Callie laid on the ground shivering as the memory she never knew she had come to life in front of her.

-"Mm-mom?" She choked out.

**oOo**

_Callie's mother stood in the living room, putting on a pair of earrings._

_-"If you're not ready in five, I'm throwing you in the car, Callie!" She yelled cheerily. "So you better be ready, or you will be riding in the plane in those ridiculous men's boxers you wear."_

_-"They're comfortable to sleep in," Callie reiterated loudly._

_Once again, Callie was running late, but that was nothing new. But today was not a good day for that. They had a plane to catch. It was Christmas and they were going to New Hampshire, to meet her father for the first time. Callie couldn't say she was excited. She loved Christmas, but to meet the man who abandoned them sixteen years ago was not how she wanted to spend her holiday._

_With a sigh, Callie pulled her suitcase from her room._

_-"And I am already dressed." She called out._

_-"You're a girl. I wish you'd behave like one once in a while. Did you pack a nice dress like I told you? Your father said he wanted to go all out on Christmas Eve. His wife is throwing a black tie party."_

_-"I don't see why I have to go see him; he didn't care enough until now." Callie mumbled._

_-"He is trying ... we have to give him a chance." Callie's mother, Rebecca, glanced at her in the mirror. "He said he wanted to take you to the ballet, to see the nutcracker."_

_-"Ballet is boring."_

_-"You didn't used to think so. I know you gave it up for fencing—"_

_-"Because you made me," Callie retorted bitterly._

_-"It will be better for you in the long run," she said cryptically._

_Callie rolled her eyes. She was pretty sure no one had used a rapier sword in a real fight since the 1700s, but once her mother made her mind up about something, Callie had to go along with it. Her mom grabbed the car keys from the hook and gave the house a quick once over._

_Callie slowly dragged her suitcase down the hall and into the living room. She left it at the door and glanced back at the tiny Christmas tree. It was barely five foot tall but it was heavily decorated with mementoes from the past._

_-"Christmas should be at home." Callie said sadly, hoping her mother would consent to stay._

_Her face softened at this declaration._

_-"I know it's hard, Cal. We've always made Christmas about being home, but as long as we're together, we'll be fine." She gave Callie a tight hug. "Your father said he really wants to make amends ... and we should give him a chance. Before long you will be graduating and off having your own adventures—" The muted sound of the doorbell cut her off. "Don't forget your purse. You need ID," she commanded._

_With a grumble, Callie went to her room in the back of the apartment. Rebecca hurried to the door and flung the front door open. Callie heard the loud creaking of the door thanks to the paper-thin walls._

_-"Tyler, I'm sorry," Callie heard Rebecca say, impatiently. "We don't have much time."_

_Grabbing her purse, Callie rushed back to the living room. Tyler was Callie's boyfriend and her mother couldn't stand him. In fact Callie was rather sure her mother would have slammed the door in his face and never let her know that he had stopped by._

_-"Morning, Mrs. W." Tyler said sweetly. "Is Callie here?"_

_-"Of course, but we're in a rush—"_

_Callie suddenly stopped just before reaching the living room, when she saw a giant size man in a black trench coat appear from behind Tyler. Between the two men they covered every inch of the doorway. Callie was about to ask what was going on, when she saw the man's face… it changed. It had gone from normal to the face of a monster in less than a second. It had morphed and lost much of its human features and held almost wolf like resemblance. Callie found her feet moving to the door and halted behind her mother. Long fangs emerged from his mouth._

_-"Callie," Rebecca screamed. "RUN!"_

_A set of Katana swords—Rebecca's favorite—hung on the wall. Without hesitating, Callie grabbed one. The creature at the door skull elongated and changed as fur sprouted from every which way. The man-monster grabbed Rebecca by the neck. Horror struck, Callie clung to the sword and like a coward back away until her back hit the wall in the corner._

_She watched as the boy she had dated for several months face started to change just like the giant next to him, who now looked exactly like the only thing she could describe as a werewolf._

_-"Wait," Tyler rasped, his voice very different from the one Callie had spent hours listening to on the phone._

_The hulking man dropped Rebecca but before she could catch her breath, Tyler grabbed her by the neck, his lips curled into a cruel smile and with little effort he threw Rebecca into the wall, her head made a sickly cracking sound. Callie tried to swallow the bile rising in her throat as she backed away further into the hallway. She wanted to scream, but nothing came out._

_-"We have to find the daughter," Tyler grounded out in a frustrated tone. "She is powerful, we need her."_

_The other man knelt down and pick up Rebecca's wrist. Callie watched, frozen, as he sunk his teeth into her flesh. A whimper escaped Callie's mouth and just like that Tyler had found her. He crossed the living room and came into the hallway in the blink of an eye._

_-"Callie," he crooned. "Come here, baby."_

_She backed away and Tyler lunged at her, but somehow she was faster than him. She ran down the small hallway and into the kitchen. She slammed the door shut but it did little good, Tyler tore it like it was tissue paper. What happened next was a blur. Callie still clung to the Katana and with a shaking hand, she held out in front of her. Her whole body quivered and shook._

_-"What are you?" Callie whispered hoarsely._

_Tyler put up his hands and started to walk slowly toward her, as if trying to approach a scared animal._

_-"Don't worry, baby. Everything will be fine. Don't you see? I've done this for us. Now, we can be together… always."_

_-"Stay away," Callie screamed, taking a step back. Her body hit the kitchen wall. She was trapped and Tyler knew it. He smiled and walked up to stand just before the tip of the unsteady sword in her hand._

_-"Ah, baby. You can't hurt me." In a blink, he grabbed the sword from her hands and turned it against her. The razor-sharp edge caressed Callie's skin with deadly intent. "One last kiss?" He asked with a sadistic grin._

_Tyler reached out to caress Callie's cheek, his cool hand which was covered in thick hair slid further down past her neck. He tore open a button of her shirt and reached inside. He squeezed her breast with force. Callie felt a sob weal up from deep inside her and that only seemed to excite Tyler even more._

_But thanks to his distracted state he never saw Rebecca come up behind him. She held the other Katana and swung at his head. But Tyler was no fool and caught the blade with his other hand which was gloved in thick leather. With an angry smile, he turned around and faced Rebecca. Blood started to seep through the leather from where the sword had cut through, but Tyler didn't seem to notice._

_-"I'm going to enjoy killing you, Rebecca."_

_With one hand, Tyler clawed at Callie mother's chest with his clawed fingers. With his other hand, he drove the Katana into her stomach. Rebecca fell back onto the hard, marble floor. Callie let out a blood curling screamed and at the same exact moment the backdoor of the kitchen burst open. A man entered wearing a dark blue uniform, a lot like what the paramedics wore._

_Tyler ran at him with a yell, still clutching the bloody sword, the paramedic extended his left hand and to Callie's shock he blasted Tyler back against the kitchen wall. Pictures hanging on the wall crashed to the floor. Tyler slid down with a grunted. The paramedic moved quickly and picked up the sword from the floor where Tyler had dropped it when he had been blown back._

_Tyler got up from the ground with an animal snarl. He curled his lip back, exposing his large canines and despite his large size, he moved with lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, he stood inches from the paramedic._

_Tyler's eyes blazed triumphantly as if he had already won the battle but seeming to forget the paramedic still held his sword and just like that the paramedic swung the sword and in a clean cut, Tyler's head fell to the floor. Blood spurted all over the walls and onto Callie. Tyler's body slumped and dropped with a loud thump to the ground. Covered in hot, sticky blood, Callie met the paramedic's impassive eyes and fainted._

_From darkness to light, Callie slowly woke up, opening her eyes to see the paramedic's face hovering over her. His piercing hazel eyes bore into hers._

_-"What did he say to you?" he asked. But all Callie could do was stare at the new stranger. Moonlight from the bay window highlighted the cut of his high cheekbones. "What did he say to you?" He repeated, except this time his voice sounded oddly distorted, as if were speaking through a filter. The voice washed over Callie with velvety softness. A sense of calm filled her._

_-"Nothing. He was m-my boyfriend," she whispered hoarsely. "Tyler."_

_Another man came in through the hallway. Despite his tall stature and large muscle, he grimaced at the carnage as he came up behind the paramedic._

_-"What a mess. Do we take her with us?"_

_The handsome paramedic shook his head._

_-"Mother and daughter obviously fought off the werewolves without magic."_

_-"They had swords," the man pointed out. "There's another wolf in the living room. Dead. No head. They knew what they were doing."_

_-"The mother did. Unusual, but still they are quite obviously non-magical, and non-magical people are not our concern." The paramedic drew together Callie's torn shirt and started to get up. "Come on guys, the hunt continues," he said. "We must follow the trail."_

_Callie grabbed his wrist with the last bit of her remaining strength._

_-"W-wait. Y-you can't leave. You need to help my mother—"_

_The paramedic looked at Callie for a long moment._

_-"Yes, I will help. But you must let go." He glanced at her hand on his wrist._

_Callie released him and he stretched his wrist out, rubbing it with his other hand._

_-"Surprisingly strong grip for such a delicate girl."_

_-"H-help," Callie pleaded._

_-"I will." He put a hand to her head and muttered, "Time to rest… and forget." As Callie eyes fluttered closed, she noticed the name tag on his uniform. _

_Xavier._

**oOo**

On the floor, in the foyer of the small mansion, Callie did threw up. Hunter rushed over to her.

-"It's all right, Callie. You're done. It's all done." He cooed.

-"I'd forgotten. How could I forget how my mother died?" She mumbled, trying to get her bearings. "Stacie told me the police had said it was an intruder, she said that Tyler had been there but he had died defending us. I was in bed sick ... But I wasn't ... Stacie lied."

Hunter put a comforting hand on her back.

-"I'm sure she just wanted to protect you."

Callie shivered, suddenly cold, as anger coursed through her. She didn't need to be protected. Why did everyone always think otherwise? Callie's eyes suddenly snapped to Xavier, his face now more familiar than ever.

-"You made me forget."

-"Indeed, I did," Xavier said without apology.

Xavier had also saved her and he hadn't wanted her to remember that either.

Callie stared at him.

-"Why?"

-"Yes, Xavier," Alaric commanded. "Why were you at the girl's house?"

-"Isn't it obvious?" Hunter interjected angrily. "He doesn't have foresight. How do you think he rounded up his candidates? He's been following magical creatures that work for Morgana."

-"He's rescuing candidates?" someone said.

-"Hardly," Hunter scoffed. "Werewolves don't discriminate between sorcerers and non-magical people, but Xavier does. He simply left Callie unprotected because she did not possess magic."

Callie looked at Xavier with dawning horror as he gave an unemotional shrug.

-"You survived—"

-"My mother didn't!" Callie jumped up and tried to lunge at Xavier but Hunter caught her and held her still.

-"He's not worth it." He whispered close to her ear.

Alaric cleared his throat.

-"What is done is done. We must look to the present."

-"Master Alaric, look at the water," Thornton interrupted in an awed tone.

The other council members circled the pedestal.

-"I've never seen anything like this," a woman council member declared.

There was a chorus of agreement throughout the group.

-"How is it possible?" another member said.

Reluctantly tearing her gaze from Xavier's, Callie looked at the pedestal. The water was red with blood.

-"Hunter?" She said uncertainly.

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gave her a comforting look that seemed to sooth her from the inside out.

-"Where did you get the water?" Hunter asked Alaric.

Alaric's gaze didn't move from the water.

-"We took it in your cave, of course. We've been monitoring it for almost a thousand years. The one you were found in."

-"What?" Callie asked.

-"Well, this has taken a most interesting turn, _Hunter,"_ Xavier drawled.

-"Don't speak to me," Hunter snapped.

-"We don't have time for this," Alaric said, getting back to business. "Let us proceed with the test. Who is next?"

**oOo**

It took another hour to get through the candidates. By this time Arthur had come too and had been filled in on the details of Callie vision. They both sat together, holding hands, drawing the little bits of comfort from the contact of someone familiar. Erin had cleaned up the floor after Callie's vision, while Hunter had taken care of her and from the glares Callie had received from Erin it was rather clear to Callie that Erin would probably not be someone she would call a friend.

After the pedestal had been taken away and the council dispersed as mysteriously as they had arrived, Alaric gathered all the candidates, magical and not, together.

-"Congratulations and welcome," he intoned. "Your guardians and mentors have briefed me about you, but you do not know me. I am Alaric; I am head of the academy and second in command with the sorcerer Council."

Alaric paused and gave everyone an approving glance.

"Today, you are in a remarkable position. Some of you are sorcerers and some of you are not. However, all of you are beginners. Many students here at our academy start at very young age. You will be among the first to enroll as part of our special program."

Alaric walked back and forth in front of the group.

"Dangerous times are upon us. Most of you have had encounters with the some of those evil magical creatures already. While some of you have only seen through the water, but let me tell you, the threat is very real. Morgana has returned. She is hunting down candidates in hopes to not see Arthur's army rise again. She and her evil alliances would rather see you dead so they can get to the sword in the stone before Arthur does."

Alaric eyes met Arthur's.

"Except this time, the great knights of Camelot will include magic. You will all fight side by side for the same cause." Alaric's lips curved into a grandfatherly smile. His short beard moved back and forth as he continued with his speech. "In the upcoming days, you will be pushed beyond what you think you can handle. Although it may not feel like it now—you are where you belong. You are part of a new family. Not since King Arthur's time has the sword come back to the land—"

-"Who cares about King Arthur?" Matthew said. "He died centuries ago, his family killed our kind!"

Alaric gave him a disgruntled look. He waved his hand and the glass doors opened behind him.

-"Now, Mr. Brown, I realize you are exhausted so I will excuse your outburst this once. Arthur is the once and future king. He was a great King and you will see that in time. Your objective while you are here at the academy is to train. We will prepare you for whatever trials you are to face in the future. There has been enough deaths. It's time for all of us to work together." He paused to make sure he had everyone's attention, and he did.

"Xavier has volunteered to train you all on swords. He is the finest swordsman alive today."

-"Xavier!" Hunter burst out, outraged. "Alaric, I would speak to you right now."

Alaric sighed and with a nod, he looked at Erin.

-"Candidates, you will get your welcome kits from Ms. Erin. Please follow her on the tour of the academy. It will be most enlightening for you to see what we do here."

Everyone shuffled off towards Erin. But Callie was not interested in a tour of the place. Instead she noticed Xavier trying to slink out of the room, so she marched over to him and cut him off before he reached the glass doors leading outside.

-"You could have saved my mother." She poked a finger at his hard chest and became annoyed when he didn't even blink.

Xavier leaned down until his lips grazed her ear.

-"I debated coming in at all."

Callie pushed him away.

-"Then why did you?" She replied angrily.

-"I had to know about you." His eyes slid over Callie. His gaze rested on the necklace Stacie had given her. "You are hard to read. I should have realized it was from purchased magic that is obscuring the thoughts from me." He said referring to the necklace.

-"You are unbelievable," Callie grounded out. "Hunter was right about you."

-"Was he?" he drawled with a chuckle. "Maybe you shouldn't believe everything my brother says."

-"Hunter—"

Xavier let out a laugh of hysteric.

-"Is that what you think his name is?"

-"What?" Callie frowned.

-"If you're going to make it as a candidate, you have to figure out who you can trust," Xavier purred out. "Let me help you out. What do you know about Arthur? He pulled the sword from the stone. He had a great kingdom. He became a legend. But someone else besides Arthur became just as famous. If Arthur was the puppet, he was the puppet master."

-"Uhm ..." Callie eyed him suspiciously, she knew the legends but she wasn't sure how to respond to his rude question.

Before Callie could blink or reply, Xavier grabbed her by the waist and turned her towards Hunter, who was pulling at his jacket in frustration as he argued with Alaric. Callie didn't fail to notice he wore his favorite footwear, skater-punk shoes.

-"_Vasana_." Xavier whispered close to Callie's ear.

With a gimmicky zap, a costume appeared on Hunter. He wore a blue felt robe with white stars. On his head sat a matching pointy hat. His face had aged to look about a hundred years old. He sported a long, white beard which extended from his jaw to the middle of his stomach.

Against Callie ear, Xavier spoke softly giving her chills.

-"Now, let's put it together. The puppet master was a sorcerer, everyone knew this, but everyone assumed he was old. Actually, this puppet master appeared to be oh, I don't know; let's say ... twenty-five. In Arthurian times that was considered to be almost middle-aged and wise." Xavier gently ran his hand down Callie's arm, smoothing down the goose bumps he was causing. His hot breath tickled Callie's neck. "This puppet master also thought he always knew what was best for everyone. Know anyone like that?" Xavier paused and inhaled deeply. "And of course this puppet master was considered the most powerful wizard of all time. Now let's put it together, what's his real name?"

Hunter broke off from talking to Alaric and looked down at himself; he let out a foul curse.

-"_Vasana-apte_." He muttered, waving his hand down his body. His clothing returned to normal. Hunter turned and glared at Xavier. "You are an ass."

-"And you always make things harder for yourself." Xavier let go of Callie with a chuckle.

But she barely noticed him leave. Her eyes were glued on Hunter.

-"Tell me it's not possible," she whispered.

-"Callie—" Hunter rushed to her forgetting Alaric.

-"Oh, G-God," Callie groaned, unsure how much more hurt she could take in one day. This newest betrayal cutting deep.

-"I'm sorry," Hunter said stopping inches from Callie, his face sad and regretful.

Callie stared into the deep pools in his eyes which seemed too stretched into infinity… or a thousand years or so. Callie made a mewling sound and upon hearing her distress, Arthur came rushing to her, grabbing her by the waist to steady her.

-"What's going on?" he demanded. "Hunter?"

Bile bubbled inside Callie's stomach for a second time today. The horrible truth staring at her in the face. She had trusted Hunter ... she even had feelings for him! But she had been a total fool, everyone had. Callie turned to Arthur.

-"His name is not Hunter. His name is Merlin." Callie said hysterically.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Thank you for reading, please follow/favorite this story if you are enjoying it. Don't hesitate to leave a comment as well! :)**


	8. Chapter 8 - The world-famous sorcerer

**Chapter 8  
The world-famous sorcerer**

Everyone was leaving the room but the commotion had gotten their attention and slowly all the candidates had turned around and came back in. Callie's voice rose high.

-"He lied to us." She said pointing at Hunter.

Alaric walked to the large group that had gathered.

-"It is past time I introduce myself properly," Hunter announced, not bothered by the crowd. "Things have been hard enough to explain, so I did not bother with this information. However, I do hope after what you have seen today, you will believe me when I tell you the truth about myself." His eyes met with each of the candidates without wavering. "My true name is Emrys, well that is what the Druids have always called me. They knew my destiny before I did ... Before I met Arthur. When I arrived in Camelot I was known as Merlin."

There was a sudden silence that resonated through the whole room. No one moved or let out a breath for a long time until the girl with the brightly colored red hair spoke.

-"Are you a vampire or something? Like an—" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "—immortal?"

-"No, I'm not a vampire," Merlin chuckled, seeming amused to have been compared to a vampire but his face soon became serious as a shadow fell over his features, suddenly making him appear much older than twenty-five. "I am not immortal ... just harder to kill."

-"What does that mean?" Cole asked.

-"It means that I can die, just not from old age or a simple wound ... it's much more entailed." Merlin glanced in Xavier's direction. "It's the same for my brother."

-"So you're not a vampire?" the red-haired girl repeated, this time her tone was disappointed.

-"No, sorry, trust me; you'll know when you meet a real vampire." Merlin quipped.

-"Why are you different? What's so special about you and Xavier that you are both the only ones like that?" Arthur asked from the back, his voice unwavering.

A few people turned to him in surprise but Merlin seemed unperturbed by the question.

-"I don't know." His voice rang true. "I just know that I was born differently. I did not find Xavier until years after the battle at Camlann. Before that, there were others like me ... But they chose to hurt people and use magic for evil. They paid the ultimate price for that."

-"But Merlin never had a brother—" another candidate began but Alaric held up a hand for the questions to stop.

-"I can confirm Master Emyrs's tale. He has thought us all the ways of magic and our parents before us and our grand-parents." He glanced at the candidates. "No matter how he and Xavier came to be—I think we can all agree that having Merlin on our side is a good thing."

Callie glanced around at the crowd behind her. All of the candidates were murmuring with awe. Even Arthur was looking at Hunter - Merlin with new respect and somehow this seemed to aggravate her even more.

-"Candidates, please follow me," Erin called everyone to attention.

She marched to the converted hotel check-in desk and turned on a computer monitor. The candidates dutifully gathered around her. Merlin wanted to talk to Callie, before she was whisked away and he became buried in questions by the Council about the attacks, but she ignored him, stepping deeper into the crowd, she went and stood next to Arthur. With a sigh, Merlin turned and left.

Callie turned her attention to Erin who was rattling on about the history of the school, which had been here for hundreds of years. She went through a list of people who had graduated from the school, which included several politicians and celebrities.

Callie would have cared, but there was only one famous person who was spinning around in her mind. He had gone from the bad boy on a bike, to the ultra-powerful sorcerer, to someone completely out of her comprehension … someone completely out of her league. Callie's hands fisted in anger. Why did she even care?

Sensing her melancholy, Arthur threw his heavy arm over her shoulder. She leaned into him, suddenly feeling very homesick. Erin gave Callie a sardonic look, showing her obvious distaste for Callie as she passed out black cases to everyone. Callie ignored the woman and opened the black box which contained a new tablet. Several of the candidates whistled, and despite her agitated state, Callie was rather impressed as well.

-"All of your schedules and assignments will be done on these," Erin explained, waving her tablet in the air. "The whole school works with these. We've had them for a while now."

-"Niiice." Cole whistled. "I thought magic didn't work with electronics."

Erin let out a laugh.

-"You've been watching too many movies. Magic doesn't work on electronics, but it doesn't mean we can't use them. We have to keep moving forward and keep up with the world and I don't know about you, but how these gadgets work seem like magic to me."

Several candidates laughed and nodded in agreement.

-"Your schedules and other various apps you will need have been downloaded. You will all have the same schedule, since you are in a special training program, separate from the rest of the school."

-"When do we get sorted into houses?" Someone asked.

-"You don't," Erin said briskly. "We have a simple system. Girls are in Guinevere Hall. Boys in Balinor House."

There was a sound of disappointment from a few of the guys.

-"No girls in the showers?" Matthew called from the back.

-"Sorry, you're not here for that kind of learning." Erin said with a hint of humor as she walked to the glass doors. "Now, if you will follow me, we will do a quick tour of the school grounds. Class starts tomorrow."

As soon as the group stepped outside, Callie gasped. Soft sun shone down on a misty cathedral at the opposite end of a football field-length courtyard. The cathedral had a long, pointed tower with beautiful rose and ivory stained glass windows. Pink and red petal flowers and deep green ivy climbed the stones from the ground to the cathedral's roof. A large fountain stood in the middle of the courtyard with water falling from several lion heads. Between the misty air and rolling slope of the earth, the scenery reminded Callie of a long-lost fairy tale.

More buildings made up the rest of the rectangular courtyard. The huge garage, which they had seen from the outside, stood to the right. Buildings had been spaced up and down the rectangle, all connected by a ten-foot-high wall of dark grey stone. No one could wander into the school by accident—or out.

Erin walked the group along a covered veranda that curved all the way around the courtyard. She pointed out several buildings that consisted of classrooms. Several happy students sat around on the grass. Some were busy furiously typing on their tablets, but some others sat in a circle, laughing and talking, all the while many boys kicked a soccer ball across the rich green lawn.

Everything seemed so normal, like an average college campus, except for some noticeable differences that Callie did not miss. Like one boy suddenly making the soccer ball float in the air and whizz by the goalie. There was a collective of groans from the other team but no one seemed shocked or perturb by the action.

-"The cathedral holds the Gathering Hall. That is where we hold all of our meetings. It is also the gymnasium. You will spend a great deal of time in there for your physical training." Erin pointed to a plain-looking building next to the cathedral. It had a huge clock at the top with dark roman numbers to indicate the time. "That is the Council building. It houses all the members, as well as your instructors."

The clock chimed loudly when the hour turned. It reverberated through the long courtyard and moments later a sea of students spilled out of the buildings. The candidates all stopped to stare at them.

-"There are so many," Arthur muttered.

-"The academy is much larger than it first appears," Erin replied proudly.

Arthur's stare was fixed on the students playing with the floating soccer ball.

-"How do we know that this isn't evil?" Arthur suddenly asked Callie in a low voice.

Callie watched the boys all laughing and pushing each other as they hurried off.

-"They are just boys."

-"Exactly my point." He muttered and hurried to catch up to Erin and the group.

Callie stared at Arthur for a moment before catching up to the group as well, but she paid little attention to what Erin was saying. She was left to ponder if that comment had come from her brother or from the King.

She was actually a little surprised with how easily she was adjusting to all these strange things, from magic to supposed reincarnated king. She could accept and even understand them all. What she could not come to terms with was that Hunter-No Merlin, had lied to her. All because he wanted to keep things simple? She dated him. Well went out a few times with him, she even kissed him! How could he not think that his true identity was important information for her to know?

What disturb her just as much was that his own brother had scrubbed her memories of her mother's death. If she had not come here, she would have never known the truth. It explained why Xavier had looked so familiar to her. But the most disturbing part of it all, is that she felt a certain gratitude towards Xavier, and that did not sit well with her. But if he had not shown up when he did, she would have suffered the same fate as her mother.

Erin suddenly signaled to stop and she pointed to two identical stone buildings.

-"Guinevere Hall and Balinor House are right next to each other. The dining hall connects them, so you will be eating together." The dormitories were not as ornate as the cathedral, but they had a lot of windows. Lion-shaped, stone rainspouts stuck out of the corners as a marker for each floor. The towers were five stories high. "First class starts tomorrow morning. Gentlemen, please follow me into Balinor House. Ladies," Erin glanced to Callie and the other girl, "remain here until I return."

Erin left with the group of men behind her, leaving Callie alone with the sole other girl. Callie glanced at the girl as they both stood in an awkward silence. It was hard to get the girl vision out of her mind. It was bad enough she had to watch her being brutally beaten by her mother. It was no wonder she looked like she belonged to a punk-rock band, she was just trying to find where she belonged in this world.

Callie asked the first thing that came to mind.

-"How did you meet Xavier?"

-"I was doing cage fighting for some lowlifes. He got me out. I thought he was trying to buy a good time, you know, but then he showed me what he could do. Magic ... I could do little things, and I thought I was a freak ... but he said he could teach me how to control it." Her hair swung like spiky icicles as she shook her head. "He said I was going to be good enough to protect a King. How wild is that?"

-"Wild," Callie repeated. "So you believe that Arthur is back?"

Slouching against a veranda column, she frowned at Callie.

-"Of course, I do. Why wouldn't I? Protecting one of the most famous kings in history will mean instant fame. I mean not as famous as Arthur but you know, it's the next best thing."

It took a minute for Callie to absorb what the girl had said.

-"Do you really think everyone will know about Arthur pulling the sword and the knights?"

-"After the world earthquake, no one can hide it, can they? Everyone in the world knows about it." She kicked her foot. "Whoever makes it as Knights will never have to worry about anything ever again."

For a second, she dropped her tough persona and a vulnerability shone clearly on her face. It was obvious Xavier had made some grand promises to his candidates. At least Merlin hadn't done that. Callie suddenly nervously chewed on her lower lip. Hunter had not talked at all about what would happen after Arthur had pulled the sword. Becoming famous did not sound appealing at all. More questions Hunter—no, Merlin—had conveniently skipped answering.

Callie looked at the girl and a pang of pity filled her. She reminded her of a lost puppy at the pound.

-"You're risking your life just to be famous?"

The girl straightened away from the column.

-"Aren't you?"

Callie shook her head.

-"Some magical creatures were after us and apparently my brother is the King ... We had no choice."

A red eyebrow lifted.

-"If you say so." She grinned and her gaze turned to the courtyard. The soccer match had become a semi-wrestling match between a group of guys. "You have to admit, though, it's not so bad here."

Callie smiled. That had been a statement Allison would have made.

Erin soon came out of the building. She pointed us to the other building.

-"Miss Walsh. Miss Cornwall. Let's go. I will introduce you to the head of the residence hall. She will explain the details and rules."

Turning on her heel, she strode into Guinevere Hall. Callie hurried after her while the other girl followed slowly. The moment she stepped inside Guinevere Hall, Callie felt at home. The surprising country chic décor matched Stacie's study in New Hampshire almost perfectly. Suddenly feeling homesick, Callie wondered what Stacie would say if she saw it. But recalling the fact that Stacie had known all these secrets the homesickness feeling was replaced with anger. Callie had a feeling she had no idea how deep her family ties were to the magic world.

Erin led them past a spacious living area with huge couches and an enormous plasma screen TV. She stopped at a small office tucked into a far corner of the first level.

-"Ms. Ash, I have new students for you. Calypso Walsh and Robin Cornwall."

A stout woman with round glasses and rosy cheeks sat behind a desk. She was watching news coverage of the sword on her flat-screen. She reluctantly turned away from it when everyone entered the office. She gave Callie and Robin a brisk once-over.

-"My name is Callie—" She correct Erin, but it was clear that Ms. Ash neither cared nor wanted to know who was who.

-"That's all well and good." Ms. Ash held out two key cards. "Erin didn't inform me that we needed a room until this morning, but everything is ready. You will share. We have four to a room here, but since you are both joining late in the semester there will be only two of you. The card has the room number. You may show yourselves upstairs. You'll find a welcome package on your bed with some essentials. Other than that, please show up promptly to meal times. Food will not be kept waiting for you if you miss it." She finished with a shooing motion. "That is all. Go on now."

-"Aren't you going to show them the common areas?" Erin asked, her tone obviously annoyed with the woman.

-"I'm sure they'll figure it out," Ms. Ash retorted. "These young ladies are old enough. We don't need to coddle them."

It was obvious by her tone that Ms. Ash held more authority then Erin and she was not afraid to use it. Erin's face twisted into a mask of frustration.

-"Fine, I suppose I can show them." She sighed, angrily.

-"Uh huh," Ms. Ash said, turning back to the TV.

Erin turned towards Callie and Robin, motioning for them to head for the door. They had taken a few steps outside when suddenly Ms. Ash stopped them.

-"Wait. Does that mean he is back?"

Erin turned back.

-"Who?"

-"Don't be coy, Erin," Ms. Ash said with a cluck of her tongue. "You attended his lectures before he left, just like the rest of us… and it wasn't to hear him speak."

Erin turned red.

-"I don't know what you're talking about—"

-"Merlin, of course." Ms. Ash sighed like a smitten school girl. "I never imagined someone like him to be so handsome. Do you know when he'll start his lecture series again? I get asked about it every day, you know." She waved her hand through the air. "There is a list of sorceress eager to sign up. It's not just the students either. I've talked to Calvin at the teachers' residence—"

-"Ah, yes," Erin cut her off. She glanced at Callie and gave her a quick leer, she then looked away. "I will ask him, but I don't know if the lectures will happen. He is quite busy." She nodded at Ms. Ash's monitor. "You can understand why."

-"Yes, of course." Ms. Ash murmured in disappointment.

-"Merlin taught here?" Callie finally asked, unable to contain her curiosity, realizing she really did not know anything about him.

-"Oh, yes," Ms. Ash replied with an enthusiastic nod. "When I started working here he taught several subjects, but then he cut his classes down and until recently he stopped teaching all together—" She lowered her voice. "—He started having the visions. Then he set off on the hunt." She let out another girlish sigh of longing. "It was the best lecture series I have ever been too. He appears so young for being so wise. I could listen to him for hours. Of course, I don't remember exactly what he said. It was how he said it." She looked at Erin with a smirk. "You must remember, Erin. You always sat right in the front row."

-"Ah, yes. They were quite enlightening." Erin replied vaguely, avoiding Callie's eyes.

-"Callie seems knows him quite well. Maybe he told her." Robin said abruptly.

For the first time, Ms. Ash looked from Callie to Robin skeptically.

-"Really? You know him well?"

-"Er, I guess," Callie said awkwardly, not wanting to discuss her relationship with Merlin, especially not with this woman, who appeared to be a glutton for gossip.

Erin snorted rudely.

-"I'd say so." When three sets of eyes looked at her in surprise, she colored, muttering, "They're candidates. Part of the King Arthur program."

Ms. Ash's large eyes turned on Callie with bunny-like plea.

-"Oh, do tell. How well did you know him? Have you actually had a whole conversation? What is he like? Does he eat?"

Although the barrage of questions was overwhelming, the last one made Callie snicker.

-"Does he eat?" She repeated cautiously, unsure she had heard that last one right but by Ms. Ash gave an enthusiastic nod.

-"He's so powerful. Who knows? Maybe he's advanced past eating."

_Wow. _Callie thought dumbfounded. She stared at her slack-jawed for a second. _Advanced past eating, what the hell did that mean?_ Callie suddenly had a vision of Merlin scarfing down pizza on their first date.

-"No, he definitely eats."

-"How do you know?" she demanded.

-"Uh, he likes pepperoni pizza." Callie replied, conveniently skirting around the question.

-"That's so American," Erin scoffed.

-"I like pizza," Ms. Ash exclaimed. "I'll talk to the dining staff. I wager they'd love to make him some. Do you think he would like that?"

Callie looked at the older woman, she was starting to feel like she'd fallen into an alternate universe. She had never been interrogated about someone so closely before. It was like Merlin was a celebrity.

-"Um, yeah, sure."

Ms. Ash clapped her hands with glee.

-"Wonderful."

Callie glanced at Robin who was snickering at Ms. Ash or the whole situation, Callie was not sure. Ms. Ash touched her hair as she looked at the wall with dreamy eyes.

-"What I wouldn't give to be a candidate. You'll be getting to spend so much time with him."

Robin cleared her throat.

-"Callie doesn't need to be a candidate for that."

Callie turned to glare at the girl. It was obvious that she was not only good enough to be a magical candidate, she was also very observant and had picked up that there was more between Merlin and her. Ms. Ash's eyes widened.

-"Her and him? Together?"

-"Of course not," Erin scoffed who had obviously enough of this silliness. "She is too young for him." Her brow furrowed. She then looked at Callie and asked with frankness, "You and he have never… dated, have you?"

-"W-well," Callie stammered. "Not never."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Sorry for taking so long for the update. This wasn't terribly exciting for a chapter, but much more is coming! :)**

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**As always please review/comment & vote! I love hearing from everyone.**


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